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«■» 





NORTON’S 

COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

OF 

H AVAN A AND Cuba 


CONTAINING 

FULL INFORMATION FOR THE TOURIST, SET¬ 
TLER, AND INVESTOR ; ALSO AN ACCOUNT OF 
THE AM^AICAN MILITARY OCCUPATION 

WITk 

HANDSOME ILLUSTRATIONS 

AND 

A MAP OF HAVANA 

BY 

Albert J. Norton, 

Member of Chicago Bar 


• • • 

• . ♦ __ 

Chicago and New York: 

RAND, McNALLY & COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS 

















jl- ibrt«r> o i' 

I * (.OH(tb ^£{':i«VFO 

| JAN 19 1901 

«♦»* «ttry 

c£W,, *7, tqc° 
«„& 3 c? fry 

slcono copy 


F'7 It*? 

. im 


Copyright, ii^oo, by Albert J. Norton. 

•• 




/- ^9950 












/ 




# 


TO 

“ CUBA LIBRE ” 

THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 
BY THE AUTHOR. 










CONTENTS 


PART I. 

Page 

In the Gulf Stream. 9 

The Pilot’s Story. 12 

Munson and the Merrimac. 15 

In the Harbor. 18 

Havana, General Plan of the City. 22 

The Harbor. 28 

The Market. 30 

Marianao. 35 

Gen. Lee’s Headquarters . 37 

Morro Castle. 43 

Fortifications of Havana. 53 

La Zarzuela. 60 

Theaters. 65 

The Garrote. 69 

Official Executioner. 78 

Obispo Street. 81 

Drive to Colon Cemetery. 88 

Colon Cemetery. 93 

El Vedado. 99 

The Cathedral. 103 

_ s 

Churches. no 

Centro Asturiano. 113 

Clubs.* 116 

Hospitals and Asylums. 121 

Other Places of Interest. 125 




























CONTENTS. 


Page 

Cuban Independence Day. 130 

The Carnival. 133 

Hotels. 138 

Newspapers. 14 2 

Cigar Factories. 145 

Educational, Financial, Etc. 148 

Life in Havana and Cuba. 152 

Society in the Capital. 152 

The Cuban Lady. 155 

The Cuban Gentleman. 158 

Cuban Courtship. 159 

Residences and Buildings. 160 

Life in a Great Hotel. 162 

Vehicles. 168 

Street Scenes. 170 

Other Things Observed. 172 

Feeling of Cubans Toward Americans and 

Spaniards. 174 

Adieu to Havana. 177 

Appendix to Part 1 . 180 

Railroads. 180 

Street Railways. 181 

Steamship Companies. 182 

Table of Distances from Havana. 185 

Havana and the Census of 1899. 186 

Table of Sex, General Nativity and Color .... 186 
Age and Sex and Conjugal Conditions. . .. 186 

Birthplace and Citizenship. 186 

School Attendance, Literary and Su¬ 
perior Education. 187 

Havana City. 187 





























CONTENTS. 


Appendix to Part I — Continued. Page 

Citizenship, Literacy and Education. 187 

Observations on the Pronunciation of Spanish. . 190 


PART II. 

Cuba. 195 

Resources, Etc. 195 

Area and Population. 196 

Table of Summary for the Entire Island. 197 

School Attendance, Illiteracy and Superior 

Education. 198 

. Total of Island. 199 

Topography. 202 

Animals. 204 

Climate, Etc. 204 

Diseases. 205 

Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Etc. 206 

Minerals. 206 

Timber. 212 

Agriculture. 217 

Fruits. 223 

Railroads. 227 

Table of Railroads for Island.229-234 

Investments. 234 

Cuba—Its Administration Under Spanish Rule. 237 

Military Occupation of Cuba by the U. S .245 

General Brooke, Military Governor. 245 

Organization of Military Government. 247 

Civil Departments. 248 

Military Departments.248 




























CONTENTS. 


Cuba — Continued. Page 

Organization of Supreme Court. 249 

Re-Organization of the Audiencias. 253 

Courts of First Instance and Municipal Courts 258 

Payment of the Cuban Army. 259 

Department of Posts. 260 

Collection District—Custom Duties. 261 

Auditor. 262 

School System, Elementary and Superior 

Schools. 262 

Board of Education—Public Schools. 263 

Teachers. 264 

Superintendent of Schools. 265 

Order for Taking Census in Island of Cuba .... 265 

Only Civil Marriages Valid. 266 

General Leonard Wood, Military Governor of Cuba 267 
Registration of Spaniards Under Treaty of 

Paris. 268 

Municipal Elections—Qualification of Voters. 269 
Convention to Frame a Constitution for Cuba . 270 

Boards of Registration. 273 

Nomination of Candidates. 274 

Minority Representation. 277 

Provincial Board of Canvassers. 277 

List of Delegates to Frame Constitution for 

Cuba. 278 

The Foraker Resolution and Amendment. 280 

Dual Government of the Island—Civil and 

Military. 281 

Political Parties. 287 

Conclusion. 290 























PREFACE. 


This book is the sequel of a visit to Havana in 
February of the present year, although neither while 
there nor for several months after my return, did 
the idea of writing a book upon Havana and Cuba 
enter my mind. The beauty, the antiquity and the 
importance of that city, together with its numerous 
interesting objects and quaint and curious scenes, 
made such an impression upon me, that at last I de¬ 
cided to write of it more at length and more sys¬ 
tematically than has heretofore been attempted. I 
describe the Havana of to-day. This work is in no 
sense a history of Havana or of Cuba, although a 
considerable number of historical dates and some 
historical matter will be found scattered throughout 
the book. 

The resources of Cuba have been concisely set 
forth, for the reason that the scope of this work did 
not permit greater detail than I have employed in 
relation to the various interesting subjects coming 
under that head. Some account of the Spanish civil 
and military administration of the island seemed de¬ 
sirable, and even necessary, to a proper understand¬ 
ing of the dual administration of its affairs under 

the native civil authorities and the military govern- 

7 



8 


PREFACE 


ment of the United States, since its occupation by 
the latter. Only the more salient facts of the his¬ 
tory of the very important period during which the 
United States has had control of the island could be 
given. 

Some of the illustrations have been specially 
taken, and the map of the city of Havana has been 
expressly made for this work. 

To Senor Benjamin Hurtado, of Havana, I am 
deeply indebted for various and efficient services 
rendered. His familiarity with that city, his wide 
acquaintance and his sources of information have 
been of especial value to me in the preparation of 
Part I. Senors Rodolf Betancourt, Abel Linares 
and Zaragosa Cabrera, all of Havana, have done me 
favors which I highly appreciate. Mr. Henry M. 
Trimble, of Quemados, Cuba, has also rendered ser¬ 
vices which I take much pleasure in acknowledging. 
To those other gentlemen in Cuba, who have ex¬ 
pressed an interest in my efforts and who have, in 
different ways, contributed to make them more effi¬ 
cient, I take this opportunity to return my thanks. 
Lastly, I am under obligations to Mr. Morris P. Bar¬ 
nett, of this city, for much valuable assistance given 
me in the preparation of this book. 

Albert J. Norton. 

Chicago, Illinois, Nov. 15, 1900. 


NORTON’S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 
OF HAVANA AND CUBA. 


PART I. 

IN THE GULF STREAM. 

The Prince Edward left Miami at one o’clock in 
the morning. She steamed out of Biscayne Bay 
into the ocean and along the Florida Keys. I awoke 
early. With rhythmic roll the vessel was making 
profound courtesies to the deep. The sun, not yet 
above the horizon, was tinting the sky with brilliant 
hues and spreading a soft glow over the sapphire 
sea. 

There were about two hundred passengers on 
board, many of whom, after breakfast, gathered on 
deck to enjoy the beauty of the scene. A few paid 
unwilling tribute to Neptune, while one gentleman, 
at intervals, paced rapidly up and down the deck, in 
order to fortify himself against the old sea god’s 
exactions. 

About nine o’clock we passed close to Sombrero 
Key and lighthouse, thirty-five miles almost due 



10 


Norton's complete hand-book 


south of Cape Sable, and about one hundred and 
twenty miles from Miami. At this point the steamer 
altered her course and soon entered the Gulf Stream. 
One is immediately struck with its transparency and 
its deep blue color. The Gulf Stream varies in 
width from forty-five to one hundred miles, and its 
rate of flow is from two and a half miles to five miles 
an hour, the rate depending upon the width of its 
channel and local peculiarities as it sweeps along its 
course. The velocity is considerably greater in its 
center than at its edges. The current was especially 
strong that day, the pilot said. 

I strolled about the staunch ship admiring its fine 
accommodations and complete appointments. The 
vessel is a credit to the Florida East Coast Steam¬ 
ship company, in whose service it is employed. 

Curious about various nautical instruments and 
appliances which attracted my attention, I asked the 
pilot, Charles B. Munson, to enlighten me in regard 
to their uses. Our conversation drifted to his ex¬ 
perience as a sailor, and I found that he had had a 
long and varied career. I was especially interested 
in the fact that he had been the pilot of our blockad¬ 
ing fleet ofif Santiago harbor, in the late war with 
Spain. At my request, he agreed to give me an 
account of some of his experiences, especially as 
pilot of the blockading fleet. We went below into 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


II 


his elegantly furnished stateroom, and there he nar¬ 
rated to me the story of his part in some of the 
stirring events of the war. 


12 


Norton's complete hand-book 


THE PILOT’S STORY. 

Educated at a military academy, Munson early 
took to a seafaring life, sailed to China and other 
parts of the world, and for many years navigated 
south Atlantic and West Indian waters, thereby ac¬ 
quiring an extensive and accurate knowledge of 
their harbors and of their dangers. 

On April 21, 1898, Munson received a telegram, 
of that date, from Key West, signed “Captain Samp¬ 
son,” who that very day was appointed Rear- 
Admiral, requesting Munson’s services as pilot for 
a period of ten days. The latter, who was at Jack¬ 
sonville, Florida, at once went to Key West and 
thence to the blockading fleet off Havana, where 
he reported to Admiral Sampson on the 25th of 
April, and was assigned to the battleship Indiana, 
Capt. H. C. Taylor being her commander. 

Munson was with the fleet when Admiral Samp¬ 
son bombarded San Juan, Porto Rico. As our fleet 
was nearing its destination, where it was supposed 
Cervera’s fleet lay, Captain Taylor, pointing to four 
flags fastened to the flagstaff of the Indiana, said: 
“Pilot, do you see those flags nailed to the flagstaff? 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


13 


They will never be hauled down. The Indiana is 
slow and can’t run, but she can fight and will never 
be captured.” 

On May 27, Admiral Sampson sent for Munson, 
questioned him about the harbors on the south coast 
of Cuba, informed him that Admiral Cervera’s fleet 
was in the harbor of Santiago, told him that a col¬ 
lier was to be sunk at the entrance to that harbor, 
and directed him to report to Commodore Schley, 
then off Santiago. On May 31, Munson reported to 
Commodore Schley on board the Brooklyn. On 
June 1, Admiral Sampson arrived off Santiago, with 
the New York and the Oregon, and preparations 
were then made for sinking a vessel at the mouth 
of the harbor. Munson’s account of the affair is 
very interesting. 

Sampson sent for him, and a consultation was 
held that day on the New York. Admiral Sampson, 
Captain Chadwick, of the New York, Lieutenant 
Hobson and Munson were present, and discussed 
the best method of sinking the Merrimac. Munson 
says: “I proposed keeping on the starboard side of 
the channel until up to Estrella Cove, then starboard 
the helm gradually and sink the ship abreast of Es¬ 
trella Point, in four fathoms of water,” the water on 
either side of this place having a depth of from 
forty-two to forty-eight feet. But Captain Chad- 


14 NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

wick was of the opinion that the helm should be put 
to port. 

As everyone knows, Hobson made an effort on 
the morning of June 2 to enter the harbor and failed 
in the attempt. The pilot gives an excellent reason 
why Hobson was unsuccessful: “The reason Hob¬ 
son did not enter Santiago on first attempt was, he 
did not know where the entrance was, it being hard 
for a stranger to find in daytime, let alone at night.” 
The chroniclers of this episode have found other 
reasons not half so good. It is in no way discredit¬ 
able to Hobson that he was unable to get into the 
harbor on this occasion. 

The account usually given is that it took so long 
to dismantle the Merrimac and fit her with torpe¬ 
does, that it was nearly four o’clock in the morning 
when Hobson started on his perilous mission. But 
Munson says that Hobson started before midnight, 
cruised until daylight before he found the mouth of 
the harbor, when it was so late that Admiral Samp¬ 
son would not allow him to enter the channel. 

In the afternoon of June 2, Admiral Sampson 
asked Munson if he would pilot the Merrimac to 
the entrance of the harbor, so that the plan deter¬ 
mined upon should not again miscarry. Munson 
agreed to this, on condition that a launch should be 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 15 

sent to take him off the Merrimac when his duty 
was performed. 

MUNSON AND THE MERRIMAC. 

“Everything being ready, Lieutenant Hobson and 
myself left the flagship New York at about 6:20 
p. m., and went on board the Merrimac. My orders 
were to take charge of the Merrimac and see that 
Lieutenant Hobson had a good rest, and not call him 
until 2 a. m. After we were put on board, the launch 
went back to the New York, and returned with the 
relief crew for those who were going in on the ship 
and needed rest for the ordeal before them. After 
we came on board, Lieutenant Hobson retired and I 
took charge of the ship. I ran her until the Morro 
bore N. E. 3 miles, then I lay to, keeping those 
bearings on until 2 a. m., when I called Lieutenant 
Hobson and his crew, who then had lunch and made 
final arrangements for going in. All were cool and 
showed no signs of fear. I never saw a braver set 
of men; they knew that in an hour or two certain 
death awaited them, but still they kept on with their 
work as only seamen can. By 3 a. m., everything 
being ready, we started ahead slowly for the en¬ 
trance ; it being moonlight, the Morro could be 
plainly seen.” 

In the early part of the night, Cadet Powell came 


16 Norton's complete hand-book 

alongside the Merrimac in a launch, telling Munson 
that he had orders to remain by him till the latter 
was ready to leave the vessel. When the Merrimac 
was within half a mile of the Morro, about 3 :20 
a. m., Lieutenant Hobson told Munson that he thor¬ 
oughly understood all the instructions which he had 
given him as to how to enter the channel; that Mun¬ 
son could do nothing more for him, and advised him 
to go with the relief crew. Munson left the Merri¬ 
mac with Cadet Powell, when, having gone about 
three ships’ length, Hobson hailed the launch and it 
went back to the vessel, taking off Mr. Crank, assis¬ 
tant engineer of that boat, and then proceeded on its 
way toward the Texas, which it reached about 3 :45 
a. m. By this time the Merrimac was inside the 
harbor entrance, and the hills around were a “mass 
of fire.’* 

At seven o’clock in the morning Munson went on 
board the New York. The newspaper correspon¬ 
dents took his name and his statement, but they 
afterwards told him that Captain Chadwick had had 
all reference to him in the despatches cut out. Mun¬ 
son’s opinion is, that the reason why the collier did 
not sink at the point selected was because she was 
kept on the west side of the channel instead of on 
the east side, as he had advised. He was the only 
American employed as a pilot. Munson is now the 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


1 7 


captain of the steamer Cocoa, a coasting vessel, 
formerly the Spanish ship Argonauta, captured on 
April 29, 1898, by the Nashville, having on board 
a number of Spanish officers and a large amount of 


specie. 


i8 


Norton's complete hand-book 


IN THE HARBOR. 

After the pilot had finished his narrative I again 
went on deck. A “tramp” steamer going in an op¬ 
posite direction passed us, and, in about an hour, 
another showed itself in the distance, the only ves¬ 
sels sighted during the whole trip. Soon we crossed 
the Tropic of Cancer, and the dim outlines of Cuba 
appeared on the southern horizon. As we ap¬ 
proached, its headlands stood out in bold relief. And 
now we are nearing our destination. All is eager 
expectation. At last we are rewarded with our first 
view of old Morro and the beautiful city of Havana. 

The soft air, the bright sunshine, the exquisite 
blue of the Gulf, the low but massive stone buildings 
painted in various colors, the harbor winding grace¬ 
fully around the eastern and southern sides of the 
city, and all encircled by hills, with openings here 
and there disclosing fine vistas beyond, formed a 
scene befitting the Pearl of the Antilles. 

The ship’s course was now southeasterly. As we 
entered the channel Morro Castle rose proudly on 
our left, while directly opposite, on our right, La 
Punta showed her battlements. The Prince Edward 
continued on in the same direction for about a mile 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 19 

and a half, and anchored within three hundred feet 
of the wreck of the Maine. This was Monday, Feb¬ 
ruary 19, 1900. 

After some delay occasioned by the visit of a 
health officer and of another official, we passed from 
the Prince Edward to the steamer Tarpon, used by 
our government as a transport in the late war, which 
had come to take us across the harbor to the custom¬ 
house. 

Passports were required until January 5, 1899, 
when the Military Governor issued an order rescind¬ 
ing all decrees relating to passports. In former 
days, the passport had to be delivered to the proper 
official, a license to travel on the island, not to ex¬ 
ceed three months, was given, for which a consider¬ 
able fee was paid, and another fee was exacted when 
the passport was returned on departure from the 
country. 

There was much good natured strife among the 
“interpreters” on the Tarpon in their efforts to se¬ 
cure the largest number of passengers as guests for 
their respective hotels. These interpreters are usu¬ 
ally young Spaniards and Cubans of good education, 
who speak several languages with fluency. They 
are polite and thoroughly reliable. The larger ho¬ 
tels, like the Inglaterra and the Pasaje, have two 
representatives at the steamers. 


20 


NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


Before we left the Prince Edward, I caught the 
eye of one of the interpreters for the Pasaje, and 
pointed to its tags on our valises. When we stepped 
on board the Tarpon, Mrs. Norton and myself were 
taken by him to a group of passengers who had 
selected that hotel. Similar knots of people, who 
had made their choice of hotels, were standing about 
the deck. There was no lack of interesting objects 
to view while waiting for the steamer to take us to 
the landing—Morro to the north, La Cabana a little 
nearer, the village of Casa Blanca opposite, Regia, 
a thriving city half a mile south, Havana to the west, 
ships of every nation anchored in various positions 
in the harbor, the wreck of the Maine almost within 
a stone’s throw, and those of our fellow passengers 
who, not having decided where to stay while in 
Havana, were halting not merely between two opin¬ 
ions, but, so to speak, among half a dozen, and who, , 
one after another, of course, finally succumbed to 
the suave interpreters. 

The fare to the wharf was fifty cents for each 
passenger. The Tarpon, so I was told, made its 
first trips that day, as the little sail and row boats, 
with which the harbor abounds, had before that 
time taken passengers to and from the steamers—an 
unsatisfactory and unsafe means of transfer. Es¬ 
corted by one of the Pasaje interpreters, we passed 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


21 


through the gates at the custom-house, were put 
into a coach drawn by a small horse, and rattled over 
the rough pavements through alley-like streets to 
our hotel. 


22 


Norton's complete hand-book 


HAVANA. 

GENERAL PLAN OF THE CITY. 

It will be well at this point to take a survey of 
the general plan of the city. Havana is bounded on 
the north by the Gulf of Mexico; on the northeast 
and east by the harbor; on the south by the harbor, 
the Loma, x Hill of Atares and, with a little valley 
between, the rising ground whose crest is nearly 
half a mile west of Atares, and which terminates 
farther southwest in the Hill of Cerro; on the south¬ 
west by a valley, about a mile in width, lying be¬ 
tween this lower portion of El Cerro and the Hill 
of the Castle of Principe, the small Hill of Las 
Animas being situated about half way between the 
Hill of Principe and the Cerro slope; and on the 
west, by a portion of this valley, the Hill of Principe, 
the latter nearly a mile from the north shore, and a 
range of hills running in a somewhat northeast¬ 
erly direction to within about two hundred feet of 
the shore of the Gulf. 

Such are, roughly speaking, the boundaries of the 
city of Havana as they are generally known, but 

1 For the pronunciation of Spanish words, see “Ob¬ 
servations on the Pronunciation of Spanish,” at the close 
of Appendix to Part I. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


23 


these are by no means its legal limits, as will be 
shown a little later. Some of the main thorough¬ 
fares and the location of a few of the more impor¬ 
tant objects of interest within the boundaries of the 
city as just described are worthy of note. 

In 1633 the construction of the old walls of the 
city was begun. These walls started from the place 
where the Arsenal now stands, not far from the 
western extremity of the harbor on its inner shore, 
following Zulueta street north and terminating at 
the channel, a quarter of a mile southeast of La 
Punta. These walls were finished in 1702, and were 
almost completely demolished between 1863 and 
1880. That portion of the city to the east of the 
walls was called intramuros and the newer portion 
to the west, was called extramuros. 

The intramural or older portion of the city con¬ 
tains many buildings and places of great historic 
interest. Obispo, O’Reilly and Teniente Rey streets 
are the most important ones in this district, and run 
from the harbor west to the Prado. 

Beginning at La Punta, the fortress at the en¬ 
trance to the harbor, the Prado, a wide and beautiful 
drive, extends in a southwesterly direction for a 
distance of nearly three quarters of a mile to Parque 
Central (Central Park), thence south along the west 
side of Central Park, of Parque de Isabel La Cato- 


24 Norton's complete hand-book 

lica and of Parque de La India, terminating at 
Calzada del Monte, or del Principe Alfonso, within 
half a mile of the western extremity of the harbor. 
The whole length of the Prado is not more than a 
mile and a half. It is the first street west of Zu- 
lueta street. 

West of the Indian Park is Colon Park, formerly 
Campo Marte, or military drill ground and park. 
Running west from Colon Park for more than half 
a mile, Calle de La Reina, (Queen’s street), opens 
into the splendid drive known as Paseo, (prom¬ 
enade) de Carlos III, or Paseo de Tacon, and 
sometimes spoken of as Paseo Militar, extending 
due west about a mile, to Principe Hill. The west¬ 
ern half of this Paseo borders, on the south, the 
Quinta de los Molinos, or the summer residence of 
the captain-generals, and its gardens. Here also are 

n 

the famous Botanical Gardens. 

Beginning near the Gulf shore, the fine street Cal¬ 
zada de La Infanta, for some distance south, skirts 
the range of hills before spoken of as bounding the 
city on the west, then goes in a southerly direction 
until it intersects the Calzada del Monte more than 
a mile south of Paseo de Tacon. More than half a 
mile east of Calzada de La Infanta, and running 
nearly parallel to it, is the important Calzada de 
Belascoain, starting from the Gulf, just east of Ba- 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


25 


teria de La Reina, (Queen’s Battery), and also in¬ 
tersecting Calzada del Monte about half a mile south 
of Paseo de Tacon. The coach tariff for one or 
two persons anywhere in the city east of Belascoain 
street, is a peseta, Spanish silver twenty-cent piece. 
The Calzada de San Lazaro runs westerly, along the 
shore of the Gulf, from La Punta to the Queen’s 
Battery, a distance of about a mile. This street is 
also called Calzada Ancha del Norte. 

In the old portion of the city the streets are only 
about twenty-two feet wide, and the sidewalks from 
eighteen inches to two feet in width. In the newer 
portion they are thirty-three feet wide with five-foot 
sidewalks. The streets in the old part are mostly 
paved with large square stones. 

Underlying the northern part of the newer por¬ 
tion of the city, within a few feet of its surface, there 
are tertiary and quarternary rock formations, which 
easily absorb liquids. Along the harbor and in the 
southern portion of the city, generally, these rock 
formations are of a chalky character, and are much 
less permeable to liquids. Hence, sinks and other 
receptacles often overflow. Such are the main fea¬ 
tures of Havana, as the city is generally known. 

The limits of Havana were fixed by ordinance 
bearing date August 23, 1879, an d are to-day the 
legal boundaries of the city. Without attempting 


26 Norton’s complete hand-book 

to describe them in detail, a brief statement respect¬ 
ing them will here be given. 

The Gulf of Mexico, as before stated, forms the 
northern boundary, and the harbor or Bay of Ha¬ 
vana, except as hereinafter noted, forms a part of 
its eastern boundary. Ascending the Martin Perez 
River, which flows into the arm of the harbor called 
Ensenada de Guasabacoa, to the bridge over that 
river at the Calzada de Guanabacoa, the line runs an 
irregular course to the point where the Calzadas of 
Luyano and Guanabacoa cross; again pursuing a 
devious course, the place where the Giiines road 
crosses Rio Hondo marks a point in the boundary 
line. 

The Giiines road is followed from this point to its 
intersection with Camino Viejo de Giiines, a dis¬ 
tance of nearly seven miles southeast of Plaza de 
Armas. The village of Calvario lies seven miles 
nearly south of Plaza de Armas, and is within the 
limits of the city of Havana. Where the main road 
of Managua crosses the Almendares, or Chorrera 
River, more than eight miles southeast of Plaza de 
Armas, is another point in the boundary line, which 
latter follows the river west and north to Villate y 
Aguas Claras, thus including the city of Arroyo 
Naranjo, seven miles southwest of Plaza de Armas, 
within the limits of Havana. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


27 


Again pursuing an irregular course, leaving the 
river on the east, the boundary line includes the town 
of Puentes Grandes, about four and a half miles 
southwest of Plaza de Armas. The line crosses the 
Almendares River once or twice after leaving 
Puentes Grandes and ends at the mouth of the Al¬ 
mendares River and the Gulf of Mexico. 

It will be seen that the cities of Carmelo, Vedado, 
Cerro, Jesus del Monte, Tulipan, La Cienaga and 
Puentes Grandes, usually spoken of as suburbs of 
Havana, are really within its boundaries. 

The caserio, or village, of Casa Blanca, with its 
territory is a part of Havana. Casa Blanca’s terri¬ 
tory includes the fortifications of La Cabana and 
Morro Castle; from the latter its boundary line runs 
eastward along the shore to Playa de Chino, a dis¬ 
tance of perhaps three-fourths of a mile, and from 
this place in a circular direction, terminating at the 
Bay of Triscornia a little east of Casa Blanca. 

Regia, a city across the Bay of Havana, though 
often spoken of as a part of Havana, lies outside of 
the limits of the latter. The following are some of 
the more notable lomas, or hills, within the city 
limits, as last defined: Loma de Mazo, also called 
the “Key Hill,” it being considered the most import¬ 
ant strategic position in the vicinity of Havana. It 
is nearly four miles southwest of Plaza de Armas. 


28 Norton's complete hand-book 

This hill is about 800 feet long in an east and west 
direction, and its highest point is 200 feet above sea 
level. A mile north of this hill is that of Jesus del 
Monte, 220 feet high. At the western extremity of 
the Bay is Loma de Atares, 111 feet in height. The 
ledge of rock on which Morro Castle is situated is 
probably about 25 feet in height at its extremity, but 
rises to a height of 75 feet a quarter of a mile to the 
southeast. At one point the ridge on which La 
Cabana is situated reaches a height of 157 feet. 
The hill of San Diego, east of Cabana is 190 feet 
above sea level. Principe Hill is 150 feet high. 

THE HARBOR. 

The channel, between the extreme points of 
Morro and La Punta, is a quarter of a mile in width, 
narrowing a little farther on to one thousand feet, 
then widening to a quarter of a mile, and is about a 
mile in length. This part of the harbor is some¬ 
times called the River of Havana. The general 
direction of the harbor, usually designated on maps 
as the Bay of Havana, from the termination of the 
channel is southwest. Its average width is a mile, 
but in some places its width is a mile and a half. 
Its eastern and southern shore is indented with three 
small bays, ensenadas , the Bay of Regia, of Guasa- 
bacoa and of Atares. The harbor, from Morro to 


Tacon Market, Reina and Aguila Streets, Havana. 




















Morro Castle—Harbor Entrance, Havana. 









OF HAVANA AND CUBA 29 

the hill of Antares, at its southwestern extremity, is 
about three miles long. 

The natural depth of the harbor is said to be from 
thirty-five to forty feet, but its bottom is covered 
with a layer of filth fifteen or twenty feet in thick¬ 
ness. A thousand ships can easily find here a secure 
shelter in case of storm. Vessels from all parts of 
the world enter the harbor, and it presents a varied 
and animated scene. The old name of the Bay of 
Havana was Carenas Bay. I shall use simply the 
term harbor in speaking of this body of water. 


8 


30 


Norton's complete hand-book 


THE MARKET. 

The next morning after our arrival a force of 
men in white duck suits was at work sweeping the 
Prado in front of our hotel. The dirt was gathered 
into piles and taken away in carts. I found New 
York and Chicago papers at the news-dealers. The 
former were from three to four days, and the latter 
from four to five days, late. At seven o’clock peo¬ 
ple were beginning to make their appearance on the 
streets. The newsboys were crying “La Lucha,” 
“Havana Journal,” and so forth, which they sold at 
five cents apiece, Spanish money. There, too, were 
the shoe-polishers, each perched on a stool beside a 
high platform on which was a chair of ample pro¬ 
portions. They were equipped with the regulation 
brush and polishing cloth, and did their work after 
the American style. 

Breakfast over, we were ready for the sights of 
Havana. One thing, however, remained to be done 
before we started on our rounds, and that was to 
get a five or a ten-dollar note changed into Spanish 
money. Hotel bills must be paid in American money 
or its equivalent. Excursion tickets can only be 
purchased with the same currency. But nearly all 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


31 


other expenses of visitors on the island can be paid 
in Spanish coin, and this is a pecuniary advantage, 
as Spanish silver is worth considerably less than 
American money of similar denominations. The 
value of Spanish currency fluctuates somewhat from 
day to day. 

On December 29, 1898, President McKinley is¬ 
sued an order to the effect that on and after January 
1, 1899, until otherwise provided, the following 
Spanish silver coins then in circulation in the island 
of Cuba should be received for customs, taxes, pub¬ 
lic and postal dues, at the following fixed rates in 
American money: 

TABLE. 


Equivalent 

Silver Coin. Value. in U. S. Money. 

El peso .$1.00 $0.60 

El medio peso. 5 ° - 3 ° 

Una peseta .20 .12 

Una real .10 .06 

Medio real.05 .03 


There is a dos peseta-piece, Spanish $0.40, worth 
in American money about $0.24. There are also 
copper and bronze coins in circulation. American 
money is exchanged for Spanish silver coin nearly 
on the basis of equivalent valuations given in the 
foregoing table, but probably on a somewhat higher 
average valuation of Spanish coin. 







32 Norton's complete hand-book 

We arranged to go that afternoon with an excur¬ 
sion party to Marianao, and then paid a visit to one 
of the great markets, mercados. This market covers 
a square, is two stories in height, and is completely 
surrounded by great pillars reaching to the second 
story, forty feet high, connected at their upper ends 
with arching masonry. A stone pavement supports 
these massive pillars. The pavement, extending 
from the pillars to the wall of the building, is prob¬ 
ably twenty-five or thirty feet broad, while a ceiling, 
resting on the columns and the wall of the building, 
roofs over this great space and forms a portion of 
the floor of the second story. Immense awnings are 
stretched between the columns, some from the inner 
side of the crowns of the arches, some from their 
capitals, and reach to within a few feet of the pave¬ 
ment, thus protecting from sun and rain. 

Against the walls are stalls and booths for small 
tradesmen, where all sorts of articles such as cheap 
jewelry, curios, gentlemen’s furnishings, ladies’ 
trimmings, silks, ribbons, thread, etc., cutlery, glass¬ 
ware, fruits, confectionery, drugs and drinks of 
various kinds, are sold. These stalls surround the 
building, there being space enough between them 
and the pillars for the customers and passers-by to 
move freely. The columns are ornamented with the 
signs of the proprietors of the stalls. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


33 


Within the building wide avenues or aisles at 
convenient distances traverse it at right angles to 
one another. Here are many articles similar to 
those on the outside. All kinds of fruits known to 
the island are to be found here, in their sea¬ 
son, many with names wholly unfamiliar to dwellers 
in northern climes. Vegetables of many varieties 
lie about in heaps and are piled on platforms, some, 
such as Irish potatoes, tomatoes and corn, familiar 
to residents of the states ; fish of every variety, fowls, 
dead and alive; birds of brilliant plumage, carcasses 
of beeves, dry goods, clothing, millinery goods, no¬ 
tions, hats, caps, shoes, harness, saddles, whips, 
hardware; in fact, nearly everything that can be 
obtained in a great department store in the United 
States, and many articles peculiar to the country and 
climate, which are never seen in our stores and mar¬ 
kets. The smells are almost as various as the ar¬ 
ticles are numerous. 

At the center of the second story there is a large 
court. Standing here and looking about and below, 
the scene is extremely animated. The place is a 
very Babel. A miscellaneous crowd of merchants, 
clerks, buyers, laborers, visitors, men, women and 
children, black, white, yellow and all the inter¬ 
mediate shades, passing up and down the broad 
stairs and about the floors, some at their stands 


34 NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

showing their goods, others haggling over prices, 
disputing as to weight or quality, inspecting articles, 
gesticulating, laughing, talking, roosters crowing, 
turkeys gobbling, birds whistling and singing, mon¬ 
keys chattering—form a lively picture. There is, 
however, no real disorder in any part of the building, 
and there is a classification and a grouping of the 
various kinds of merchandise into a natural juxtapo¬ 
sition not at first obvious. 

There are several of these great markets—Mer¬ 
cado de Tacon, Calzada de la Reina and Aguila 
streets; Mercado de Colon, Zulueta, Monserrate and 
Animas streets; Mercado del Plaza Vieja, or de 
Cristina, Ricla and San Ignacio streets, and Mer¬ 
cado del Plaza Vapor, Dragones and Aguila streets, 
each covering one or two blocks, and surrounded 
with peristyles whose square columns are probably 
six or eight feet in width at the pavement and of 
proper proportions throughout their length. Vast¬ 
ness and solidity are the two qualities most im¬ 
pressed upon the mind of the stranger. By this time, 
if not before, we began to realize that we were in 
a foreign city and land, with many scenes new to us, 
quaint, amusing and instructive. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


35 


MARIANAO. 

At two o’clock we left the hotel with an excursion 
party for the Estacion de Concha (Concha station), 
where we took a train for Marianao, a place of 1,500 
or 2,000 inhabitants, eight or nine miles southwest 
of Havana. The cars were clean and had comfort¬ 
able rattan seats. Their ceilings were high, which 
gave them a rather peculiar appearance. The effect 
of this method of construction is to secure better 
ventilation and to make the cars cooler. 

Half a mile out from the station and something 
over a quarter of a mile on the right, the low hill of 
Las Animas with its incomplete fortifications was 
seen, and a little farther on, to the left, a mile away, 
Castillo de Atares sat frowning on its rounded emi¬ 
nence. 

Now the train is bearing to the southwest, and is 
skirting the suburb of El Cerro. The country to 
the right is a valley broken here and there with low 
hills, like that of Ermita Monserrate, formerly called 
the hill of the Jesuits, half a mile from the railroad, 
while the ground on the left is higher. Soon the 
train stops at the neat depot of a pretty town with 
the musical name of Tulipan. At this place the road 
crosses the Zanja, or old aqueduct, which for more 


36 Norton's complete hand-book 

than two hundred years was the only channel con¬ 
veying to Havana its water supply from the Almen- 
dares River. 

A little later we are at La Cienaga, four miles 
from Central Park, and about the same distance 
from Marianao. 

At Cienaga, to the left of the railroad within a 
stone’s throw, is a Catholic cemetery, hardly a block 
in size, surrounded by a wall six feet high. There is 
a large stone entrance, and in a direct line with it, 
built against the opposite wall, is what appears to 
be a large tomb, also built of stone. No graves can 
be seen from the cars. This cemetery is more than 
two hundred years old. 

The Marianao Railroad intersects the Havana 
Railroad at Cienaga. For more than a mile the for- 
mer runs through a beautiful valley, then, after 
passing through a tunnel, crosses the Almendares 
River over an iron bridge, and continues through 
Puentes Grandes, where it turns to the south. 

From this point the road runs through a valley 
under fine cultivation, while the rounded hills at no 
great distance are dotted with trees. Soon there is 
a gradual ascent. Then the train enters a cut 
through the solid granite. The rock sometimes rises 
to the height of the car windows and sometimes 
towers above the train. 


(JoihtuI h it/.uugli H Jli'iulquartiM’s ut Marimuio. 
























OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


37 


Tiny waterfalls leap from the rocky sides of this 
open tunnel and flow in little streams alongside the 
railroad track. This steep grade extends a distance 
of nearly two miles, I should say. We pass through 
Quemados and quickly arrive at our destination, 
Marianao. Here the main line of this railroad ter¬ 
minates, while a spur track goes north to La Playa 
de Marianao, two miles away on the sea shore. 

GENERAL LEE’S HEADQUARTERS. 

At the station we took carriages for General Lee’s 
headquarters. We crossed a ravine not far from 
the depot. A stream of water flows through the 
gorge, and this creek is spanned by a massive stone 
bridge. I should judge the ravine to be a thousand 
feet wide. I am unable to say whether the roadway 
across the ravine is solid stone masonry, but if not, 
the retaining walls are of stone or brick. The sur¬ 
face of the road is hard and smooth, and is probably 
from fifty to seventy-five feet above the level of the 
valley. All admired the strength, massiveness and 
excellence of this embanked highway. 

We continued along the calzada past pretty stone 
houses, mostly one story, but some of them two 
stories in height, painted in the usual red, yellow, 
blue and green colors. Some of the residences are 
very fine, surrounded by large yards filled with beau- 


38 Norton's complete hand-book 

tiful flowers, plants, shrubs and trees. Then we 
came to the business portion. Some of the stores 
are substantial, well preserved stone structures; 
others appeared somewhat dilapidated. Little knots 
of people were standing about the sidewalks, and a 
few persons could he seen within the stores making 
purchases. 

The carriages stopped in front of a large building 
on an eminence, a fine palace, owned, our guide in¬ 
formed us, by a wealthy nobleman living in Madrid. 
This building is the headquarters of Gen. Fitzhugh 
Lee, then Military Governor of the provinces of 
Havana and Pinar del Rio. General Lee was in the 
city that afternoon, we were told, in consultation 
with General Wood. The Cuban people of all 
classes are very fond of General Lee. 

We passed along a corridor with numerous rooms 
opening upon it, took a peep into the kitchen, went 
through the little garden, shut in on three sides by 
the palace walls, full of tropical plants and flowers. 
Then we inspected the stables, close by, and ad¬ 
mired the fine horses and carriages belonging to the 
General’s establishment. 

We ascended the broad marble staircase to the 
second story, and passed out upon the terrace ex¬ 
tending along the front of the palace. Here is a 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 39 

fine promenade. In one part stands a beautiful little 
kiosk with its lattice work and rustic seats. 

From this terrace there is unrolled before the eye 
one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world. 
To the southwest and south lies an undulating coun¬ 
try, dotted with houses, gardens, trees, cultivated 
fields, grassy slopes and silvery streams. To the 
southeast and east are lovely valleys, interspersed 
among high hills, and beyond are mountains tower¬ 
ing hazy in the distance. To the northeast, north 
and west are seen hamlets, towns and cities, valleys 
and streams, hills, gentle and rugged, royal palms 
dotting the surface of the landscape, Havana with 
its harbor lying in full view, and farther on, in a 
majestic curve of deepest blue the mighty Gulf 
Stream, while over all is spread a canopy of azure 
and gold—a truly noble prospect of sea, hill, valley, 
distant mountain, town and city. 

Marianao, with its beach, Playa de Marianao, two 
miles away, is the most fashionable summer resort 
of Havana. Every house and villa in the town is 
occupied by the first of June. An excellent authority 
says of the place: “Marianao is located on a ridge 
which runs northeast to Habana and is elevated 140 
to 160 feet above the sea, which can be seen beyond 
an intervening green slope some two miles in width. 
It is the cleanest, most attractive, and the most beau- 


40 Norton’s complete hand-book 

tiful town in Cuba.” In the outskirts of the town 
there is a great banyan tree, which covers five acres. 
This tree is an object of much interest to visitors. 

We again took carriages. Leaving the main road, 
we followed two tan-bark colored strips of earth, 
which stretched in serpentine curves through field 
and plantation. Much of the soil here is of a dull 
red color, very rich, and especially adapted to coffee 
and tobacco growing. The soil in the valleys is 
black. We drove through a large tobacco field. Then 
we followed the cart track into a vast pineapple 
plantation. The pineapples were less than half 
grown. The fruit surmounts a stem but a few 
inches in height, and has growing from its top a 
cluster of leaves in the shape of a pine cone, hence 
its name of pineapple. There was a banana planta¬ 
tion near by, which we visited. 

Royal palms were scattered about. Some stood 
solitary, some in clusters, and some in groves. Royal 
they are, indeed, towering to a height of sixty, 
eighty and one hundred feet, green-tufted at the 
top, smooth-bodied, with a ring for each year’s 
growth, noble, stately, majestic, yet graceful, tender, 
beautiful—peerless. 

Then we drove through Camp Columbia, near 
Quemados. This is the place where the Seventh 
Army Corps under General Lee was stationed. Long 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


41 

rows of barracks with avenues between them and 
tents scattered about lined the railroad track on 
either side. The camp is beautifully situated on high 
and rolling ground overlooking the Gulf a mile or 
more in the distance. Many soldiers had been sent 
away, and although there were a number to be seen, 
there was something of a deserted appearance about 
the quarters. 

We came out upon a splendid drive bordered with 
trees, passed a large tobacco plantation, where some 
men were picking leaves and putting them on poles 
to dry. Our guide gathered oranges off the tree 
for us. We saw, zapotes, mameys, caimitos, man¬ 
goes and other tropical fruits growing. We passed 
mule teams and ox teams drawing great carts loaded 
with hay and other farm produce, timber, and mer¬ 
chandise of various sorts. 

We drove by General Lee’s private residence, at 
Quemados, a large, handsome stone house, with 
fine grounds. Quemados is a village half a mile 
northeast of Marianao, and is really a part of the 
latter. Some hovels were passed on the outskirts of 
the town. The roofs were thatched. Some were 
without windows, others had only small openings 
answering that purpose. At Quemados station, we 
drank the milk of the green cocoanut. It has a 
rather sweetish taste not altogether agreeable at first, 


42 Norton’s complete hand-book 

but most people soon learn to like it, and the Cubans 
are exceedingly fond of this drink. It is said to have 
medicinal properties, and to be especially beneficial 
in kidney troubles. 

Before we reached Havana the lamps were lighted 
in the cars. They are placed so high up that they 
cast but a dim light. We arrived at our hotel about 
six o’clock, thoroughly tired, but feeling that our 
first day on Cuban soil had been one of extreme 
pleasure. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


43 


MORRO CASTLE. 

The next morning we went with an excursion 
party to Morro Castle and La Cabana fortress. Mr. 
Manuel Fuente acted as guide. When the Cuban 
rebellion broke out he was living in the United 

States, but went at once to Cuba, with despatches 

* 

from the Cuban Junta at New York for General 
Gomez, and joined the insurgent army. He was 
captured early in the war, but being a naturalized 
citizen of the United States, the American Consul 
intervened in his behalf, and after a five days’ im¬ 
prisonment he was released. 

The only way of getting from the city across 
the channel to Morro is by means of small sail boats 
called feluccas. They are generally rowed when 
loaded with passengers. These boats will hold about 
ten persons, and are covered with awnings for about 
two-thirds of their length. The canvas is stretched 
over arches rising from the sides of the boats, and 
these arches are kept firm by several long cross¬ 
strips. 

We were told to be very careful not to fall over¬ 
board, as in that case we surely would become the 
prey of the hungry sharks which infest the har¬ 
bor. The story of a carpenter, who while at work 


44 Norton’s complete hand-book 

a few days before fell from the docks, was related 
to the horrified passengers. His fellow-workmen 
heard an agonized shriek, and hastening to the spot, 
were just in time to see first an arm and then a leg 
disappear, while the waters around were discolored 
with the life-blood of their unfortunate companion. 
We were soon on the farther shore, a quarter of a 
mile distant from our starting point, and not one of 
the company had become the food of sharks. 

Right in front of us rose the steep wall of La 
Cabana fortress to a height of about seventy-five 
feet. A marble monument to commemorate the 
valor and loyalty of those who fell in battle with the 
Filibusters of Lopez in 1851 looks down upon the 
visitor. 

We proceeded in a northwesterly direction toward 
Morro. Almost under the Cabana walls lies a work 
known as La Pastora. It was formerly a battery 
commanding the harbor and the city, but it is now 
used as a storehouse. The cliffs for some distance 
toward Morro recede from the shore. In this en¬ 
larged space there are a few huts. Some children 
were playing in front of one of these hovels. One 
little fellow was stark naked. The inexorable kodak 
soon made this youngster its victim, and the result 
was a fine specimen of the nude in art. 

We now ascended a pathway, protected on either 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


45 


side by walls seven or eight feet high. Old cannon 
can be seen at intervals pointing toward the city 
from the walls of the Cabana to the Morro. A bat¬ 
tery lies at the foot of Morro at the harbor entrance, 
which is called the Battery of the Twelve Apostles, 
as each cannon bears the name of one of the Apos¬ 
tles. These guns are the largest on the island. We 
entered a secret passage along the summit of the 
cliff on which Morro stands. This passage is sev¬ 
eral hundred feet in length, its outer wall being 
about three feet thick, with loop holes, through 
which glimpses of the harbor and of the city below 
were caught. 

We came out upon a path leading in the direction 
of Cabana, and soon found ourselves in a large field 
sloping gradually to the Gulf. We followed a road 
till we crossed a bridge over a deep, dry moat, and, 
passing through a massive archway, we were within 
the extensive fortifications known as La Cabana. 

The construction of this fortress, whose full name 
is Castillo de San Carlos de La Cabana, was com¬ 
menced in 1763 and finished in 1774. A redoubt 
stood on Cabana hill, and was captured by the En¬ 
glish in 1762, as was also Morro. Authorities differ 
as to the cost of the fortification, some giving it as 
$14,000,000, some as $23,000,000 and some as $40,- 

000,000. 

4 


46 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Including all its appurtenances, the fortification is 
about 5,700 feet in length, from north to south, and 
is about 840 feet in width. Probably 10,000 men 
could find quarters within the fortress. It lies about 
a quarter of a mile southeast from Morro Castle. 

A road with shade trees on either side passes from 
the entrance to Cabana across the large enclosure. 
Trees are scattered about in various places within 
the walls. There are officers’ headquarters, soldiers’ 
barracks and a little chapel, all located in this part 
of the fortification. The officers’ quarters consist 
of parlor, dining room, two sleeping apartments, 
kitchen and bath room. The Governor of Cabana, 
of the rank of brigadier general, formerly occupied 
a pretty little house near the road before mentioned. 

From the ramparts a fine view of the harbor, city, 
and surrounding country is obtained. Spanish can¬ 
non, highly ornamented, some of them two hundred 
years old, mounted on high carriages, overlook the 
low parapet. Acres of roofs, paths, roadways, ram¬ 
parts, parapets, bastions, and other appurtenances to 
fortifications present themselves to the bewildered 
view. 

We walked between two long, massive, one-story 
buildings. In one building there is a succession of 
arched rooms, about forty feet long and sixteen feet 
wide, with heavy doors and grated windows. Here 

































































































































































































Slab Marking Spot Where Thousands Shot at Dead-line 

Are* Buried. 



Dead-line at Cabana—The Laurel Ditch. 













OF HAVANA AND CUBA 47 

Cuban prisoners were confined. Wooden beams ex¬ 
tended the whole length of the rooms, two or three 
feet from the walls. The prisoners slept in ham¬ 
mocks stretched between the walls and these beams. 
The filth in these rooms, while the place was used 
as a prison, was indescribable. On the opposite side 
of the lane, at short intervals, are sentry-boxes, and 
in the other building Spanish soldiers guarded the 
poor victims across the way. 

We passed out through the archway and over the 
bridge by which we had entered, and made a long 
circuit in the open field, until we stood on an emi¬ 
nence whose side had been walled up. We were 
looking at Cabana, in the direction of the city. A 
few rods in front of us was a thick wall, not so high 
as the one on which we stood, and in that wall, op¬ 
posite our position, a large opening disclosed another 
wall a few rods farther on. Steps led down from 
our location twenty-five or thirty feet into a long, 
narrow space between our wall and the middle wall. 
The space between the middle wall and the third 
one widens out into several acres, somewhat to the 
right, and was often used as a drill ground for the 
Spanish troops in the fort. 

Cuban prisoners who were to be executed were 
marched to this third wall, made to face it, kneel¬ 
ing close to it, with their arms pinioned behind them. 


48 Norton’s complete hand-book 

The firing squad then took position a short distance 
in their rear and at a given signal fired a volley at 
the prisoners. The bullets, passing through the 
bodies of the victims, in time traced along the wall 
the famous “dead-line,” eighty-five feet long. 

A picket fence, enclosing on three sides a strip of 
ground a rod in width and several rods in length, 
with the side of the middle wall facing us for its 
fourth boundary, marks the spot where the remains 
of many of the victims of the firing-squad now re¬ 
pose. Above this consecrated ground there is a 
wooden slab on the wall, with an inscription to the 
martyrs who died for* their country, in which is ex¬ 
pressed the hope that a marble slab will replace the 
wooden one, that thus the memory of their sacrifice 
for the independence of the country may be forever 
perpetuated. 

Prisoners who were to be confined at La Cabana 
were taken across the harbor and landed at the Ca¬ 
bana dock. A long stone staircase leads up from 
this dock. At the foot of the steps these prisoners 
bade their friends a last farewell, and with their 
hands tied behind, staggered up and along this pas¬ 
sageway to the dungeons and cells ready to receive 
them. Many of them never reached these loathsome 
places, but, as the bullet holes in the walls on either 
hand attest, were shot on the way. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


49 


When they were to be executed they were first 
taken to the little chapel where the last religious rites 
were performed, after which they began their death 
march through the official entrance, down dark stone 
steps to a great wooden door—the postern-gate—to 
the “dead-line.” This latter is also frequently 
spoken of as Los Fosos de Los Lanreles, the “Laurel 
Ditch,” because of the laurel trees along the ditch 
or moat where the executions took place. 

BACK TO MORRO. 

We retraced our steps, once more going through 
the secret passage before mentioned, which is a 
great opening along an outer wall of Morro, facing 
the harbor. We followed a path leading to a road 
passing through a great archway which was guarded 
by an American soldier. We climbed stairs and 
went down steps, passed over roofs, and at last came 
to the outer walls of the castle, on the ledge of rock 
at the harbor entrance. 

Several of us walked carefully to near the edge 
of the wall, and looked cautiously over it into the 
“sharks’ nest,” on the gulf side of Morro. Many 
Cuban prisoners were shot, and their bodies hurled 
from this wall to the sharks forty feet below. The 
top of the wall is perfectly smooth and nine feet 
across. A few days after our visit to Morro, I saw 
the spray breaking over the spot where we had 


50 Norton’s complete hand-book 

stood, and it sometimes dashes over the top of the 
tall lighthouse, O’Donnell, built from one of the 
roofs a little distance from our position. Entering a 
long vaulted room we saw piles of cannon-balls, 
some very large and others not larger than a base¬ 
ball. A trap-door on one of the roofs stood open. 
A stairway, with steps two or three feet apart, leads 
to what is supposed to be a secret passage and dun¬ 
geons far below. 

There is a signal service station, a large stone 
building, rising from the roof of Morro on the side 
overlooking the harbor and the city. It is well 
equipped with the necessary instruments, and when 
we were there was in charge of Senor Narciso Val¬ 
dez Mir, a Cuban gentleman, who had the honor of 
lowering the Spanish flag when the American mili¬ 
tary authorities took possession of the city. 

The erection of Castillo del Morro, by some au¬ 
thorities also called Los Tres Reyes, “The Three 
Kings,” and by others, spoken of as distinct from 
the latter, was begun in 1589 and finished in 1597. 
Additions have been made to it from time to time 
until the original castle is hardly recognizable. It 
was partly destroyed in 1762, when the English cap¬ 
tured Havana, but was soon rebuilt. The battery 
of the Twelve Apostles is part of Morro, as is that 
of Velazo, a little to the northeast along the Gulf 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


51 


shore. Farther east near the abrupt shore are 
earthen redans Nos. 1 and 2. A few cattle were 
grazing on the rocky plateau east of Morro at the 
time of our visit. 

There is a secret passage leading from the officers’ 
headquarters at Cabana to the sea. It has been cut 
through rock, and ends at the mouth of a sewer, 
which empties into the Gulf. This subterranean 
passage is over 1,000 feet long, a little over 8 feet 
wide and slightly more than 6 feet high. There is 
another secret passage leading to the same exit. 
This is more than 350 feet in length, about 4J feet 
in width and about 5J feet in height. It is a road cut 
through the rock and an entrance leads to it from 
the surface road going from the Morro wharf to 
Cabana. This latter entrance is covered and is sev¬ 
eral hundred feet from the wharf. As seen from the 
sea the common exit at the mouth of the sewer has 
the innocent appearance of a sewer-grating. 

Some 3,000 feet east of Cabana, on the Hill of 
San Diego, is a stone bastioned fort by the same 
name. This fort is about 190 feet above sea-level. 

The day was hot, the wind blew in fitful gusts and 
threatening clouds overspread the sky. We re¬ 
turned to the little boat which had taken us across 
the channel. The shark story of that morning came 
again into our thoughts. Every one kept quiet, 


52 Norton’s complete hand-book 

while our thin boatman struggled hard at the oars, 
and finally deposited his load of ten at the Machina, 
or landing place. 




La Fuerza, Opposite Piaza de Annas. Oldest Structure in Havana. 

Built in 1538. 






OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


53 


FORTIFICATIONS OF HAVANA. 1 

Besides the forts of Morro, Cabana, San Diego 
and other defenses already mentioned, there are 
other fortifications of great importance, and some of 
them of much historic interest. 

The oldest structure existing in Havana is the 
Castillo de la Fuerza, on O’Reilly street, opposite 
the Plaza de Armas. It was constructed in 1538 by 
Hernando de Soto, the discoverer of the Mississippi 
River, who was then Governor of Cuba. The French 
had burned Havana, and the fort was built to pre¬ 
vent another disaster of this kind. It is a small 
building with a tower of two stories. The French, 
however, again burned Havana in 1554. The fort 
is used as barracks, as an armory, and for public 
offices. 

From La Fuerza, there extends an old sea wall 
along the channel to within a quarter of a mile of 
La Punta. A portion of the way there is a parapet, 
but no guns are now mounted on this wall. 2 The 

1 The account here given of the fortifications of Ha¬ 
vana is based on that to be found in “Military Notes on 
Cuba,” 68 et seq., Government Printing Office, Wash¬ 
ington, 1898. 

2 Since this was written it appears that the old can¬ 
nons lying along this wall are being mounted and will, 
undoubtedly, be objects of much curiosity to visitors. 



54 Norton’s complete hand-book 

bastion at its end is used as a barrack and an ord¬ 
nance storehouse. The wall is about twelve or fif¬ 
teen feet above the water level. 

San Salvador de la Punta, at the entrance to the 
harbor, and opposite Morro Castle, was begun in 
1589 and finished in 1597. Its walls are limestone, 
and from eight to ten feet thick. There is a small 
bastion on shore, and a redan in front surrounded 
by water. The Presidio and Carcel are opposite, 
on the Prado. The three castles, La Fuerza, La 
Punta and El Morro, are the ones seen on the coat 
of arms of the city of Havana. They appear, ar¬ 
gent, upon a field of azure. A golden key is also 
seen. Above these is a crown bordered by the neck¬ 
lace of the Golden Fleece. A royal decree of May 
24, 1634, gave Havana the title of “Llave del Nuevo 
Mundo y Antemural de las Indias Occidentales 
that is, “Key of the New World and Bulwark of 
the West Indies.” Although previously adopted by 
the city, the coat of arms was not confirmed by royal 
order until 1665. There are artillery and engineer 
storehouses near La Punta. Its “command” is only 
about twelve feet above the sea. 

About a mile west of La Punta, on the Gulf shore, 
immediately east of San Lazaro Inlet, stands Ba- 
teria de La Reina, Queen’s Battery. It has a com¬ 
mand of about thirty feet above the sea. The shore 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


55 


here is about two feet above the water, and the walls 
of the fort rise twenty feet higher. It is, in shape, 
a segment of a circle. 

Across San Lazaro Inlet, is La Vigia or San La- 
zaro Tower—Torreon. It is what is known as a 
Martello tower, and was built in 1556. 

In 1763, or soon thereafter, Count de Ricla, or de 
Santa Clara, became Governor of the island, and 
began the construction of several of Havana’s forti¬ 
fications. The Battery of Santa Clara was named 
after him, and was completed in 1797. It stands 
three hundred feet from the Gulf, somewhat west of 
Calzada de Infanta, at the beginning of the range 
of hills extending back to Principe Castle. There 
are a number of quarries near this fort. 

The parapet of the sea front of Santa Clara is 
about ten feet thick. The wall of the fort is six feet 
thick at the bottom and four feet thick at the top. 
The work is partly built of soft limestone and partly 
of loose stones and cement called “mamposteria 

There are three shore batteries between Santa 
Clara and Chorrera. They are earthen redans, and 
are known as No. 3A, No. 3B and No. 4. 

There is a very ancient stone fort at the mouth 
of the Almendares, or Chorrera River, about four 
miles west of Havana harbor. There is also one at 
Cojimar, three miles east of Cabana, and one at 


56 Norton’s complete hand-book 

La Playa de Marianao, seven miles west of Havana. 

Castillo del Principe, Castle or Fort of the Prince, 
was begun in 1774 and finished in 1794. It is on 
Principe Hill and about two miles west of Plaza de 
Armas. It has five bastions. The ditch or moat 
about this fort is fifty feet wide. Its scarp walls are 
about forty feet above the bottom of the ditch, and 
the counterscarp is about twenty feet high. This 
fort will hold a large garrison. There are a number 
of secret passages at Principe, one extending, from 
Principe Castle to Morro and Cabana, a distance, in 
a straight line, of 12,000 feet. There are numerous 
other secret passages connecting the different parts 
of the city. 

Campamento del Principe was an old fortified 
military camp a little northeast of Principe Fort. 
The work known as San Nazario, about half way 

1 

between Fort Principe and Santa Clara Battery, was 
used latterly by the Spaniards in connection with a 
cartridge factory. 

The Arsenal, between Egidio and Factoria streets 
and fronting the harbor near its western extremity, 
was built about 1725, as a ship-yard. At the en¬ 
trance to the Arsenal, is a small guard house. Next 
to this is the lieutenant’s house. There are marine 
barracks and mess rooms. There are also a fire- 
engine house, a small machine shop, a storehouse, a 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


57 


boiler house, a larger machine shop and numerous 
other shops. Near the Arsenal are the Artillery 
Barracks and a Military Hospital. 

Near the Cathedral there are ordnance repair 
shops. On Zulueta street, not far from La Punta, 
are the old headquarters for the Spanish artillery 
force of the island. It is a very extensive ware¬ 
house for military stores. There is a Military School 
near the intersection of Paseo de Tacon and Calzada 
de Belascoain. 

One of the most interesting of the fortifications of 
Havana is the Fort or Castle of Atares, situated on 
a conical hill, at the western extremity of the har¬ 
bor. It is reached either by taking one of the small 
boats in the harbor or by the Jesus del Monte street 
car line. A road leads from Cristina Station di¬ 
rectly to the castle. 

The visitor enters a guard room. Opening from 
this room, down two or three steps, is a little room 
about four feet wide, six feet long and eight feet 
high. Possibly it may be a little larger. It is said 
that as many as thirty Cuban prisoners were often 
crowded into this contracted space. 

A little beyond the guard room, several steps lead 
down into a room at the right, about ten feet long 
and eight feet wide. Here are seen several holes in 
the floor, a pair of stocks, the “dead-cart,”—a large 


58 Norton’s complete hand-book 

box with handles at each end—and rings in the walls. 
The arms and legs of prisoners were stretched and 
fastened to these rings, and in this position, these 
victims of Spanish cruelty were shot. The only 
light from the outside is admitted into this room by 
a window about eighteen inches long by twelve 
inches wide. An alcove opens from the room just 
described. The floor of this alcove is somewhat con¬ 
cave, and in it is a hole, where the blood of the 
slaughtered prisoners drained away before their 
bodies were taken from the place on the dead-cart. 

There are magazines, storerooms and various 
other apartments in Atares Castle, common to other 
forts. 1 

This castle is small, and is a double or triple tiered 
bastioned stonework, somewhat circular in shape. 
It is nearly surrounded by a deep moat. “For some 
act, a century or more ago, on the part of its gar¬ 
rison, it is the only Habana fortification that is per¬ 
mitted to fly a silk flag.” 2 The fort was constructed 
1 763-1767. It was on the slope of Atares Hill, over- 

1 For the foregoing facts in relation to this castle, I 
am indebted to Frank W. Mechener, of Chicago, Captain 
of Company I, Second Illinois Infantry, formerly Adju¬ 
tant of the Second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. While 
stationed at Camp Columbia, Captain Mechener visited 
this and other fortifications at Havana several times. 


2 “Military Notes on Cuba,” 86. 




OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


59 


looking the harbor, at the foot of the castle, that 
Col. W. S. Crittenden, of Kentucky, and fifty men, 
followers of the Filibuster Lopez, were shot in 1851. 


6 o 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


LA ZARZUELA. 

We decided to go to the theater that evening, and 
selected the Albisu as the one to visit. This theater 
is but a short distance from the Pasaje Hotel. We 
traversed the arcade, which extends along the west 
side of the building in which the Albisu is situ¬ 
ated. We looked for the theater entrance, did not 
find it, but, instead, came upon a man at the farther 
end of the arcade who was selling tickets for the 
evening’s entertainment. 

As he spoke only Spanish and I employed only 
English in my conversation with him, the result 
of our interview was satisfactory to neither. Mrs. 
Norton suggested that there was something rather 
suspicious about this man’s selling tickets outside of 
the ticket office, and in this view I readily ac¬ 
quiesced. We held a consultation in a low tone, why 
I do not know, unless it was to prevent his hearing 
what we said, overlooking the fact that he had just 
demonstrated that he couldn’t understand a word of 
English. 

At her suggestion we started back to find a police¬ 
man. We met one about half way down the arcade. 
He was a pleasant looking young Cuban in a suit 
very much resembling the dress of the American 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


6l 


policeman. His white gloves and club added greatly 
to his handsome appearance. “Do you speak Eng¬ 
lish?” I questioned. “No,” came the prompt reply 
in most excellent English. Thinking the laconic 
style best adapted to our mutual linguistic acquire¬ 
ments, I said, “ teatro .” He lifted his hat, bowed 
gracefully and led the way to the north end of the 
building, where the entrance to the theater is. 

Here another man was selling tickets on the out¬ 
side. Our guide took us to him, and explained to 
him, as I inferred from the former’s manner and 
language, the situation. The latter looked at me as 
though he wished to address me in my native 
tongue, but was restrained from doing so by inabil¬ 
ity to utter a word of English. I rose to the occa¬ 
sion, and made known my wishes in the following 
remarkably pure Castilian: “Deseo dos billetes," 
which, except as somewhat altered by me to suit 
the circumstances of the case, may be found in that 
classic “What to Say in Spanish and How to Say 
It,” gratuitously distributed to tourists by the Plant 
System. Adhering to the laconic style of express¬ 
ing myself in Spanish, which seemed so admirably 
suited to the persons and to the situation, I signi¬ 
fied my further desire that the two tickets should be 
accompanied by reserved seats, “asientos reserva- 

dos.” An inquiry, in Spanish as a matter of course, 

o 


62 Norton’s complete hand-book 

as to the price of the tickets brought a reply some¬ 
thing like this: “Un peso y una peseta,” that is, $1.20 
Spanish silver. 

Unwittingly I dropped into English, and asked 
the policeman the senseless question whether this 
ticket seller was “all right,” and received a nod of 
assent. The latter then led the way into the theater 
and down one of the aisles of the parquet to the third 
row of chairs from the orchestra. The lights burned 
dimly, and we were entirely alone. Evidently we 
were in time for the entertainment. In a few min¬ 
utes a gong sounded, apparently to warn the people 
on the streets that a performance was to be given. 
This was repeated about every ten minutes until the 
play opened. The curtain was bright with various 
colors, was covered with mottoes, and in its center 
were the words “Cuba Libre.” 

There were eighteen musicians in the orchestra. 
Among them were several coal-black negroes who 
mingled freely with the other members. The or¬ 
chestral music was excellent, and that and the in¬ 
struments were quite similar to those of theater 
orchestras in the United States. By eight o’clock 
the theater was full. Just before the first selection 
by the orchestra, a young man took up the tickets, 
leaving the coupons, which were also gathered up 
as the act closed. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


63 


The performance was of the kind known as the 
zarzuela, or operetta, so called from La Zarzuela, 
the royal residence of the Kings of Spain, who were 
very fond of this kind of diversion. There were 
three acts, or tandas , each containing several scenes, 
and each a complete opera in itself. In fact the 
zarzuela is a Spanish vaudeville with a larger in¬ 
termixture of the serious and of a rather higher 
order than the vaudeville plays seen on the American 
stage. 

The acting was excellent and the singing good. 
The audience was well-behaved and appreciative. 
I caught myself a number of times laughing heart¬ 
ily with the audience at the witticisms of the comic 
characters, one of whom seemed deservedly an espe¬ 
cial favorite. One of the actors chanted a recitative 
celebrating the cause of “Cuba Libre” in a most in¬ 
spiring manner. Love and jealousy played their 
usual parts on the stage, the gambling passion, rus¬ 
tic scenes and city life, the patriot’s aspirations and 
the adventurer’s schemes, all were portrayed with 
fidelity to nature. There were no straining after 
fine effects, no ranting, and no mannerisms. The 
predominant quality of the acting was its realism. 

On the night of February 8, 1900, about three 
weeks before we were at the Albisu, a sleight of 
hand performer was giving an entertainment at this 


64 Norton’s complete hand-book 

house. Among other tricks, he drew forth an 
American flag. It is said that the audience greeted 
our flag with hisses, cheered the Spanish flag when 
it was produced, and went wild with excitement 
when the performer unfolded before its gaze the 
Cuban flag. 

The first act lasted about an hour. The coupons 
were taken up, the orchestra played a selection and 
the audience, with the exception of a few who had 
purchased tickets for the three acts, left the theater 
for their homes or to buy tickets for the second act. 
The Albisu is known as an “un acto ” “one-act,” the¬ 
ater. We were tired and went back to our hotel, 
feeling repaid, however, for the time spent at the 
Albisu. 

The night was glorious. The blue vault seemed 
just overhead and its jewels, so large and bright, 
could be plucked, one might almost think, from the 
places which they adorned. Central Park, bril¬ 
liantly lighted, was still gay with people, the coaches 
were hurrying recklessly through the streets, the 
cafes were filled with good natured crowds, laugh¬ 
ing and chatting, sipping their glasses, discussing 
the questions of the day, the political situation, and 
venturing opinions as to how soon Cuba would be 
absolutely “litre.” 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


65 


THEATERS. 

For a city of its size, Havana is well provided with 
theaters, and has one of world-wide celebrity. The 
Cubans are an amusement-loving people, and are 
liberal patrons of the play house. 

The Tacon Theater.—This theater bears the name 
of a celebrated Captain-General of the island. It is 
on the west side of the Prado, and fronts on Cen¬ 
tral Park. It was built by Senor Francisco Marti, 
in 1837, at a cost of 500,000 centenes, in gold coin, 
or about $2,000,000, was named after General Ta¬ 
con, and is now owned by an American syndicate. 

It occupies a superficial area of 6,176 square 
yards, has three entrances on the Prado front, six 
on San Rafael street, three on Consulado street 
and one on San Jose street. There is nothing par¬ 
ticularly striking in its exterior appearance. 

Its auditorium is in the shape of a horse-shoe 
and is very handsomely decorated. The boxes are 
screened in front by light and graceful lattice-work. 
This is ornamented with gilt and so open that not 
only the costumes, but the daintily slippered feet, 
of the fair occupants of the boxes may be seen. The 
frescos are executed in good style. A magnificent 
chandelier depends from the ceiling in front of the 


66 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


stage, and 1,034 gas jets brilliantly illuminate the 
place. 

The stage is 42.83 meters, or 141.69 feet, long by 
20.68 meters, or 68.41 feet, wide. The entrance is 
17.63 meters, or 58.33 feet, wide. The seating cap¬ 
acity of the theater is as follows: 

There are 28 boxes on the first floor, 6 persons 
each, or 168 persons; 28 boxes on the second floor, 
6 persons each, or 168 persons; 8 boxes on the third 
floor, 6 persons each, or 48 persons; 2 stage-boxes 
on each of the three floors, 6 persons each, or 36 
persons; 112 reserved seats on the third floor; 552 
orchestra chairs on the second floor; 101 chairs on 
tiers and front; 1,203 chairs front and back tiers; 
and 612 seats in the pit, making the total seating cap¬ 
acity 3,000, which, with standing room for about 
1,000, makes the total capacity 4,000. 

The seats in the pit not being reserved, are not 
generally counted. 

The property room of the house contains 75 shift¬ 
ing scenes and 782 pieces of furniture and fixtures; 
its armory possesses 605 weapons; its wardrobe, 

1 3,787 costumes; its archives contain a repertoire 
of about 1,200 selections of operatic music, and a 
large number of piano and military pieces. 

Italian and French opera troupes principally fill 
the season at this theater. It ranks as third largest 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 67 

in the world, and, when all its excellencies and 
beauties are considered may, perhaps, be regarded 
as unsurpassed by any other theater. 

The Payret.—The Payret is on the southeast cor¬ 
ner of the Prado, or more strictly speaking, Parque 
de Isabel La Catolica, and Calle de San Jose, with 
its main entrance on the Park. Central Park is just 
across San Jose street on the north, and the Pasaje 
Hotel adjoins on the south. Its architecture is of 
a high order. Massive marble columns support its 
porch and marble steps, with one or two landings, 
lead to the auditorium. 

This theater was partially destroyed, in 1883, by 
the settling of one of the corners, and abandoned 
until 1890, when it was restored to its former con¬ 
dition. It has four galleries and seats 3,000 people. 
Many opera troupes fill engagements here, and it 
is a favorite theater with American companies. 
Hermann, the prestidigitateur, was giving exhibi¬ 
tions of his art at this house, when we were in 
Havana. 

The Albisu.—Opposite Parque Central in a build¬ 
ing occupying the square bounded by Zulueta, San 
Jose, Monserrate and Obispo streets. This is an 
elegant theater. It is the only house that is open 
during the whole year. Spanish zarzuelas, or comic 
operas or operettas, are here given by the act, that 


68 Norton’s complete hand-book 

is, in the Spanish style. The audience leave the 
theater at the close of each act, and purchase tickets 
for the next, and so on until the entertainment ends. 
If, however, tickets have been purchased for more 
than one act, the holders keep their seats for the next 
act. Good Spanish talent is always to be seen at this 
theater. It has three galleries and seats 2,500 
people. 

Teatro Marti.—A handsome summer garden 
and theater, in the block south of the Pasaje Hotel, 
and opposite Parque de Isabel La Catolica. It is 
very commodious and well ventilated. It seats about 
1,200 persons, is used by home talent and balls are 
held there every Sunday. 

Teatro Cuba.—This is a small variety garden, 
at the corner of Neptuno and Galiano streets. It 
holds about 500 people. 

Teatro Lara.—This is a theater for men only. It 
holds about 600 persons. It is a one-act theater, 
like the Albisu, and ballet dancing is performed 
after each act. This theater stands at the corner 
of Neptuno and Consulado streets. 

The Alhambra.—A new theater, for men only, 
and nearly ready to open. It is situated at the 
comer of Consulado and Virtudes streets. 























































































OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


69 


THE GARROTE. 

Having a letter of introduction from the war de¬ 
partment to General Wood, I went the next day to 
the governor’s palace and paid my respects to him. 
I was greatly interested in what he said to me about 
the political situation on the island. He impresses 
the visitor as being a man of quick apprehension, 
of great decision of character, and of great executive 
ability. 

I also had an interview with “Sam” Small, the 
editor of the Havana Journal. He talked with all 
the old-time force and originality which made him 
so famous in the States. He is thoroughly informed 
on all questions of public interest in Cuba, having 
had exceptional opportunities for acquiring informa¬ 
tion at first hand. I obtained the opinions of vari¬ 
ous classes of persons on the business, social and 
political conditions and prospects of the island. 

As we were to leave Havana on the following 
Monday, I took a hack to Mercaderes street, numero 
22, where the office of G. Lawton Childs & Co., 
agents of the Plant line of steamers, is located, and 
selected a stateroom on the Olivette. It is a good 
plan to engage a stateroom, whether going to or 
from Havana, four or five days in advance, in order 


70 NORTON’S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

to secure one in a desirable location. The narrow 
streets in that part of the city were crowded with 
carts and coaches, and at one point there was a 
blockade which caused a delay of ten or fifteen min¬ 
utes. On some streets there are signs reading “up” 
and on others reading “down,” thus indicating that, 
on those streets, vehicles can go only in one direc¬ 
tion. 

In the afternoon I visited the Presidio, or peni¬ 
tentiary, and the Carcel, or jail. They are in the 
building known as the Presidio, at the foot of the 
Prado, opposite La Punta. The portion of the 
building devoted to the purposes of a carcel was 
built in 1830, while the presidio, or penitentiary 
part, was erected in 1855, on the site of the old 
Royal Prison, built in 1771. The Presidio, under 
Spanish rule, was used as a royal prison and bar¬ 
racks. From this place the chain-gang, composed 
of political prisoners, clanked forth each morning 
to their daily toil. It is now used as a penitentiary. 
The Carcel is a common jail. The Presidio is a 
handsome three-story, yellowish-colored building. 
It occupies a square and a half, fronts the Prado on 
the west and La Punta on the north. 

There are a number of guards at the immense 
arched entrance to the Carcel on Zulueta street. Af¬ 
ter my exhausting efforts in Spanish of the previous 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA Jl 

evening, 1 concluded to attempt to break into jail 
in plain English. My efforts in this direction were 
rewarded by one of the guards calling the “inter¬ 
preter ’ of the Carcel, Senor Bombalier. The latter 
came forward, and in excellent English invited me 
to accompany him. The immense iron grating at 
the entrance parted and we passed through the arch¬ 
way into the interior of the building. 

A passage-way surrounds a great quadrangular 
court. From this corridor open rooms and cells. 
At the time the American occupation began, Janu¬ 
ary i, 1899, this prison was in a very filthy condition, 
but it was cleaned up at once, and presents a whole¬ 
some appearance. There are a cigar manufactory, 
a shoe-factory, a carpenter shop, a blacksmith shop 
and other work-shops for those prisoners who are 
skilled in some trade. Senor Bombalier said that 
there were then 228 prisoners in the jail. 

We stepped into a vaulted room with a stone floor, 
one of a number of cells for solitary confinement. 
One of the half dozen prisoners who followed us 
about, talking in a lively manner as though some¬ 
thing unusual was taking place, gave me a very 
handsome rose made of paper. I scattered a few 
pennies among them, and thereafter all manifested 
for me unmistakable signs of friendship. 

Senor Bombalier took me to a part of the court 


72 Norton’s complete hand-book 

where there is a great stone trough filled with pure 
water. Here the prisoners can take a daily bath. 
Not far from this place there is another stone 
trough where the prisoners wash their clothes. The 
sunlight came into the court, and gave the surround¬ 
ings a somewhat cheerful aspect. 

We then went into the kitchen. Large kettles 
stood filled with soup which was made of beans, 
mutton, and vermicelli. It was seasoned with gar¬ 
lic, salt, pepper and butter. I tasted it and found 
it very palatable. The prison bill of fare showed 
a dietary composed of a large variety of foods. 

In a room on the first floor, separated from the 
passage-way by an iron grating, stood that terrible 
instrument of execution—the garrote. Senor Bom- 
balier unlocked the iron door and we went into the 
room. A post, three or four feet high with a 
wooden block about a foot in length fastened to 
each side of its upper end, stands on a somewhat 
V-shaped box, in which the executioner keeps the 
implements needed in connection with his business. 
Near the top of the post, and projecting from it in 
front, is a short steel bar with two prongs, a kind 
of neck-rest with a protuberance on the inside of 
the band which presses against the back of the vic^ 
tim’s neck, and a part of the so-called iron collar. 
Slightly below, two longer parallel bars, with a steel 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


73 


bar swinging loosely from one of them, pass through 
the post, and are fastened to a collar, with grooves 
inside, enclosing a large screw, which latter passes 
through a hole in the post. This screw is a foot or 
more in length, and at its farther end, a steel bar 
extends back a foot. At the end of this latter bar, 
a cross-bar, or lever, two and a half or three feet in 
length, is attached. Two pieces of iron, slanting 
backward and upward from the post, about a foot 
and a half from its top, connect with the bar, to 
which the cross-bar is fastened, and support the 
former. 

A gigantic negro, black as ebony, was seated on 
a stool in front of the post and within the angle of 
the box. The stool was properly adjusted. The 
steel prongs closed about the man’s neck, and the 
swinging bar before mentioned, was fastened in 
front of his throat. A turn or two of the lever 
brought the end of the screw near the base of the 
brain, drew back the steel bar in front of the neck, 
and thus the iron collar tightened upon its victim. 
Another turn of the wheel, and I might have wit- 
nesed an execution by the garrote. The projection 
at the back of the neck-rest strikes against the up¬ 
permost vertebra, thrusts the head forward slightly 
as the iron collar tightens, and snaps the spinal 
cord, causing instantaneous death. The prisoner 


74 Norton’s complete hand-book 

may, however, be tortured for hours, if it is so de¬ 
termined, by the alternate tightening and loosening 
of the collar. 

On this very stool had sat Narciso Lopez and had 
had his life extinguished at La Punta across the 
way. Hundreds of others, the distinguished and 
the humble, had felt the fatal pressure of that cold 
iron collar. 

When an execution is to take place, the garrote 
is fitted up on a platform twelve feet square and 
eight feet high. Seven steps lead to this platform. 
The prisoner, in a white shroud, a white cap on his 
head, with hands manacled, preceded and followed 
by priests, with a priest on either side, who prays 
for his soul, and surrounded by officials and soldiers, 
walks from his prison to the place of execution. His 
body, rigid in death, remains seated on the stool 
for twenty-four hours, to be gazed at by the public. 

During the ten years war, 1868-1878, two 
brothers, Gaspar and Diego Aguero y Betancourt, 
born in the province of Puerto Principe, and be¬ 
longing to one of the finest Cuban families, with 
26 followers, were about to give battle to 5,000 
Spanish soldiers. Their followers fled, but the 
brothers fired upon the advancing foe, killing Gen¬ 
eral Balmaseda’s bugler and one of his officers. 
Fired upon in turn by the Spaniards, Captain Gaspar 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


75 


was wounded and taken before the General, who had 
never been known to pardon a prisoner. Balma- 
seda offered to pardon Gaspar if he would join the 
Spanish army, but Gaspar refused. He was sen¬ 
tenced to be transported to Fernando Po, Africa. 
He was sent there, but soon made his escape and, 
after many adventures, found himself once more 
on Cuban soil, joined the insurgent army, was taken 
prisoner by the Spaniards, and met his brother 
Diego, who had been captured at the same time. 
Again Balmaseda promised them pardon if they 
would pledge their word not to fight against the 
Spaniards. They refused, and were sentenced to 
be garroted in front of the Carcel, at Havana. 

The two young men mount the scaffold. Diego 
seats himself on the fatal stool. Gaspar stands by 
his side, gives him words of comfort, and exhorts 
him to die like a brave man. And now, Gaspar sits 
calmly down to death. He looks around on the 
vast and awe-struck multitude. In a voice beautiful 
and clear, from the midst of the noise of drums and 
bugles, rise the words: “How awful it is to die un¬ 
heard,” and then, in clarion tones —“Vive Cuba 
Libre.” None braver than Gaspar and Diego ever 
lived. 

Months after this scene, venerable General Do¬ 
mingo Goicuria, walks, hands tied, with firm step 


76 Norton’s complete hand-book 

and head erect, to his death for Cuba Libre. He 
mounts the platform. Sixty-seven years have made 
his hair and long beard snow white. His coun¬ 
tenance is angelic. Finding that his feeble voice can 
not be heard, because of the noise of drums and 
bugles, he looks first upon the immense concourse 
come to witness his martyrdom, then toward the 
North, then toward Heaven, smiles and sits down 
before the relentless instrument of death. At last 
Heaven heard his prayer, and sent the legions of the 
North for an answer. Has not Cuba purchased 
her freedom with the blood of such martyrs as Gas- 
par and Diego and Goicuria? 

Among the notable executions by garrote which 
occurred during the last war for independence, those 
of the Romero brothers were perhaps the most cele¬ 
brated. Formerly executions by garrote, in Havana, 
took place at La Punta, but since the execution 
there of the bandit Machin, in 1892, at which a 
panic took place, executions have occurred either 
at Principe Castle or at La Cabana. The last per¬ 
son to die by the garrote was Gamoneda, a desper¬ 
ate murderer. This was in 1897. At present, by 
law, executions are to take place inside the Carcel. 

The Supreme Court, established since the military 
occupation of the island by the United States, the 
Audiencia of the province of Havana, and the courts 



Only Remains of Old Cty Walls, Zulueta Street, Rear of Pasaje 

Hotel, Havana. 



Grand Carcel, Presidio, at Foot of Prado, Havana. 

































OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


77 


of the First and Second Instance, corresponding 
more or less closely to our Circuit and County 
Courts, respectively, hold their sessions in the 
Presidio. Out of respect for the memory of Wash¬ 
ington, there were no courts in session on the day 
I was there. 

The city is divided into thirty-nine wards and 
there are four judicial districts, known as those of 
the North, South, East and West, each district hav¬ 
ing a judge of the First and Second Instance and 
a Municipal judge. There are six election districts 
within the city. 

There is a police station, the Vivac, which is cele¬ 
brated in the city’s history, and which, perhaps, 
ought to be mentioned in this connection. It is 
situated at the corner of Empedrado and Monser- 
rate streets, and was formerly the Cuartel de los 
Municipals, or Municipal Police Barracks. A 
military officer always presided over the court held 
in the Vivac. But last spring, at the municipal 
election, two correctional judges were elected to 
take his place. The court may impose fines ranging 
from five to thirty dollars, or sentence prisoners to 
thirty days in Atares Castle. 


o 


78 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


THE OFFICIAL EXECUTIONER. 

About midnight, June 20, 1899, Senor Benjamin 
Hurtado, an “interpreter” for the Pasaje Hotel, at 
Havana, placed on board the transport Buford that 
historical instrument, heretofore described, the gar- 
rote. With him was Valentine Ruiz, the verdugo, 
or official executioner, at Havana. Valentine was 
afraid of being stoned by the people, and for that 
reason he left the jail at night. Senor Hurtado 
was the assistant manager of the Cuban village at 
the Omaha Exposition. Here the garrote was on 
exhibition during the months of July, August and 
September of that year. It excited great curiosity. 
The garrote was taken back and placed in the Carcel 
at Havana, in January of this year. Valentine, 
afraid to return to Cuba, remained in the United 
States. 

Valentine is a negro more than six feet in height, 
and is said to be the strongest person ever born in 
Cuba. He was a mechanic, and worked on a sugar 
plantation. He committed a number of murders, 
was at last convicted, and sentenced to hard labor 
in the Havana Carcel. The old executioner having 
served out his term as such, Valentine applied for 
the position, which he obtained. He was paid as 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


79 


official executioner $40 a month, and was to be paid 
$17 for every person executed, but it is said that 
he never received any of this latter money promised 
him. 

After having, in the course of his official career, 
garroted fifty-seven persons, he was pardoned, but 
being afraid of his life, he was allowed to live at 
the Carcel. Valentine acted as one of General Wey- 
ler’s escorts, when the latter took the field, and was 
often spoken of as his official executioner. Weyler 
presented a sword to Valentine which he wore at 
the Omaha Exposition, and which Senor Hurtado 
now possesses. 

Valentine claimed to hate a coward, and if a pris¬ 
oner exhibited signs of fear would often torture 
the victim by turning slowly the lever of the gar- 
rote. If the condemned bore himself firmly, Valen¬ 
tine quickly ended his sufferings. Prisoners often 
gave him their jewelry and money, at the same 
time begging him not to torture them. 

Avelino Cabrera, a murderer, sentenced to seven¬ 
teen years of hard labor in the Carcel, has succeeded 
Valentine as verdugo. Avelino was saved from the 
garrote by pleading guilty of the crime of which he 
was accused. He is a negro thirty-four years old, 
about six feet three inches in height, and very mus¬ 
cular. He has served six years, and for good be- 


80 


NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


havior four years more have been taken from his 
sentence. He will have to serve as executioner for 
about seven years. He will be paid $8.50 extra for 
each person whom he garrotes. 

Avelino is not of a bloodthirsty nature like Valen¬ 
tine. He lives at the Carcel in a well-furnished 
room. Whenever he goes about the jail he has a 
strong escort, and is locked in his room at night to 
prevent the possibility of his being killed by the 
prisoners. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


81 


\ 


OBISPO STREET. 

Thursday afternoon Mrs. Norton and I traversed 
the whole length of Obispo and O’Reilly streets. 
First we strolled through Parque Central, about 

half a block north of our hotel. This park is in the 

« 

very heart of the city, and occupies two squares. 
There are beautiful laurel trees scattered through 
the park. The branches of these trees grow high up 
on the trunks, the foliage is very heavy, and of a 
beautiful green. 

Little triangular plots of shrubs, trees, flowers, 
and urns with tropical plants, adorn the park. In 
its center is a circular platform of stone with two 
steps, and on this base stands the pedestal which 
formerly supported the statue of the ill-fated Isa¬ 
bella II. During the troublous times of 1875-6, in 
Spain, the populace of Havana dragged the statue 
from its pedestal with ropes, and in so doing broke 
off one of the arms. The statue was restored to its 
original position soon after Alphonso XII ascended 
the throne. In the early part of the present year it 
was again taken down and placed at the Fosos Muni- 
cipales, fronting Punta Park, at the foot of Zulueta 
and Monserrate streets. 

The Spanish government requested of the military 


82 


Norton's complete hand-book 


authorities that the statue might be sent to Spain, 
which was done, the effigy, like its original, having 
experienced the resentment of an outraged people. 
The statue was erected in 1857 to commemorate the 
defenders of the island against the Lopez filibuster¬ 
ing expeditions quite as much as to pay a tribute 
of respect to the Queen. The inscription on the 
stone pedestal reads: ‘‘Honor to the memory of 
General Ena and the braves that defended their 
Queen and country in 1851.” 

Iron chairs are ranged around the platform, and 
scattered about the park. The fine police band of 
Havana plays here Thursday evenings and Sundays. 
Those occupying the chairs pay to the city conces¬ 
sionaire from two to four cents each, Spanish silver. 
At these concerts may be seen the wealth and beauty 
of Havana. 

East of Central Park a broad short street or 
square, with the Albisu theater a block on the right, 
opens into Albear Plaza, a little park lying between 
Obispo and O’Reilly streets at their western ex¬ 
tremities. Palms, plants, shrubs and flowers beau¬ 
tify this Plaza, which is enclosed by a low stone 
curbing. In the center of the Plaza on a hand¬ 
some pedestal, surrounded by a low iron fence of 
graceful pattern, stands the celebrated statue of a 
great and noble man—General Albear. A Cuban 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 83 

by birth, an engineer by profession, he became a 
brigadier-general in the Spanish regular army. 

To him Havana owes, in large measure, its supply 
of the purest water. Havana now receives its water 
from the Vento Springs, about 400 in number, situ¬ 
ated nine miles south of the city. The springs are 
enclosed in a structure of masonry open at the bot¬ 
tom, 250 feet in diameter at its top, and 60 feet 
deep; their waters are brought to the city, by the 
Canal de Albear, or Vento aqueduct, which passes 
under the Almendares River, near which the springs 
are situated, are received at the deposito de las 
aguas de Vento in the suburb of Cerro, and thence 
distributed by pipes throughout the city. This work 
was begun in 1859, is practically completed, and 
cost $5,030,000. 

In 1566 construction of the Zanja, or ditch, was 
begun, and completed in 1597. This connected 
Havana with the Almendares River at Husillo, 
about five miles southwest of the city. This Zanja 
was covered in a part of its course, but the water 
supplied the city through this means was very im¬ 
pure. In 1835, the aqueduct of Ferdinand VII, from 
the Almendares River, at a point near Husillo, im¬ 
proved greatly the quality and increased the quantity 
of Havana’s water supply, but was inadequate to the 
needs of the city. 


84 Norton's complete hand-book 

In spite of many obstacles, General Albear 
brought his project for furnishing the city with an 
abundant supply of pure water to a successful issue. 
The Ayuntamiento, or City Council, at a special ses¬ 
sion held October 24, 1887, unanimously decided 
to erect to the memory of General Albear, the statue 
which now adorns this Plaza. The workmanship is 
of the finest quality. The celebrated Cuban artist 
Saavedra was the sculptor. Several beautifully exe¬ 
cuted figures stand at the foot of the pedestal. 

A little to the south of the Plaza is the western 
end of Obispo, Bishop’s, street. The first thing that 
attracted our notice as we entered the street, were 
the awnings stretched across it from the tops of the 
buildings on either side. This was as novel a sight 
as it was agreeable, for the sun burns fiercely down 
into the narrow streets. These awnings protect 
from its rays and from the rain. 

We had gone but a little distance when I found 
myself constantly stepping off the walk to allow the 
ladies we met to pass without discomfort along the 
ledge of stone, which by courtesy is called a side¬ 
walk, varying from eighteen inches to two feet in 
width, in front of the stores. Signs in large letters 
were stretched across the street from the tops of the 
buildings, or, fastened to posts, appeared over the 
doors, and were of as varied a character and form 


Central Park, Looking Last—Albear Statue and Plaza—Albisu Theater Block 

at Right. 

















OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


85 


as can be found in any of our large cities. In front 
of many of the stores signs read, “English spoken 
here.” There was also the “fresh paint” sign, for 
the paint on casings, mouldings, panels and pillars 
of the stone buildings gets scratched and faded, and 
new coats of red, white, blue, yellow and green must 
be put on in order to give the buildings a handsome 
appearance. 

The first impression of the stores as one glances 
through the grated windows, for no glass is used, 
is one of disappointment. They look so small. But 
a little further observation shows such impression to 
have been erroneous, for one is surprised at the ex¬ 
tent of some of these places. In the rear of the room 
or rooms used for the sale of merchandise, may 
often be seen a court with a fountain and flowers, 
and stone or marble stairways leading to a luxuri¬ 
ous residence in the second and third stories. 

Obispo street has a large number of curio stores. 
Books, confectionery, notions, jewelry, dry goods, 
and a great variety of other articles attract the at¬ 
tention of the visitor. One of the most celebrated 
places in Havana is Carranza’s Fan Store, 119 
Obispo. Here fans of every style, and costing from 
five cents to $200, and, perhaps, in some cases much 
more, can be purchased. The designs of many are 
exquisite. Rare old Spanish fans, behind some of 


86 


NORTON S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


which beautiful princesses and stately queens have 
shot fair glances at grandees and courtiers, are here 
displayed. There are several other fan stores on 
this street scarcely second in size and importance to 
Carranza’s. 

Many ladies were shopping. Some came in car¬ 
riages, and remained in them, where they inspected 
the articles which they wished to purchase, but many 
went into the stores. There were quite a number of 
American tourists from various states, like our¬ 
selves strolling through this interesting street, en¬ 
joying the sights and securing mementos of their 
visit. The cafes were full of people. 

On the north side of Obispo street, between San 
Ignacio and Mercaderes streets, in the old convent 
building of Santo Domingo, is the Universidad, or 
University of Havana. The next block east, on the 
same side of the street, is covered by the Gover¬ 
nor’s Palace, which faces the Plaza de Armas, or 
Military Headquarters, of the former Captain- 
Generals. In the Palace, the Ayuntamiento, or City 
Council, holds its sessions. 

The Palacio General looks eastward over the 
Plaza de Armas, and is a handsome, yellowish, two- 
story building with a portico in front supported by 
clustered pillars. There is a court within, in which 
are plants and flowers. The Governor’s office and 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 87 

reception room are on the second floor, reached by 
a marble staircase. 

The Plaza de Armas covers a square. It has four 
little gardens of flowers and plants and a row of fine 
trees just within the sidewalk which surrounds the 
Plaza. A statue of Ferdinand VII, facing the 
east, stands in front of the Palace. The pedestal, 
like the statue itself, is of Cararra marble, and 
bears an inscription in Latin expressing the affection 
of the people of Havana for their sovereign. The 
statue was erected in 1833. 

The palace of the Military Governor of the city is 
on O’Reilly street, facing the Plaza de Armas; El 
Templete, or the Columbus Memorial Chapel, is on 
the same street, just east of the Plaza. 


88 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


DRIVE TO COLON CEMETERY. 

Serior Rodolf Betancourt, a gentleman belonging 
to one of the old aristocratic families of Cuba, of 
fine education and extensive travel, accompanied 
Mrs. Norton and myself the next afternoon on a 
drive about the city. We went south on the Prado 
along Parque Isabel La Catolica—a promenade 
lined with a row of Spanish laurels on either side, 
bordered on the west by the Prado and on the east 
by a drive. At Dragones street this Park ends, and 
Parque de la India, somewhat wider than the former, 
continues south two blocks, to Calzada del Principe 
Alfonso. 

In the center of this Park is the celebrated Indian 
statue, Estatua de La India. A marble base, whose 
four comers project from its body, rises high from 
the center of a fountain. A semi-circular arch, with 
a lion’s head carved on the smooth surface enclosed 
by it, adorns the western face of the base. A hand¬ 
some pedestal rests upon the base, on each side of 
whose four corners a great dolphin with tail issuing 
from just beneath the cornice o f the pedestal, spouts 
water from wide-open mouth. The figure of an 
Indian maiden in the garb of a huntress, with a 
quiver full of arrows slung over her shoulder, a 


Indian Park and Prado North to Central Park, Havana. 










OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


89 


cornucopia resting against her left arm, and a hound 
lying at her feet, is seated on a mass of marble at 
the top of the pedestal. An iron railing surrounds 
the basin of the fountain. The Indian maiden sits 
in serene majesty forever looking westward into un¬ 
known depths. 

Across the Prado, opposite the Indian statue, is 
Colon Park, occupying four large squares. It was 
formerly Campo de Marte, or military drill ground, 
and was surrounded by an iron fence with four 
handsome gates, named respectively Colon, Cortes, 
Pizzaro and Tacon. The fence and gates were taken 
down about six years ago, and a low wooden fence 
painted in white and blue colors was built around 
the grounds. Two wide avenues intersect each 
other at the center of the Plaza, where a fountain 
plays. This is a beautiful park and the largest one 
in the city. Many kinds of trees, shrubs, plants 
and flowers are enclosed in handsomely designed 
plots, while trees border the avenues. 

From Colon Park, we went west along Calzada de 
Reina, the most fashionable shopping street in Ha¬ 
vana. This avenue opens into the grand Paseo de 
Carlos III, or de Tacon, as both names are applied 
to it interchangeably. The broad driveway is bor¬ 
dered on either side by a promenade, lined with 
double rows of trees. At the entrance to the Paseo 


90 NORTONS COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

two tall columns, fluted for more than half their 
height and finely ornamented beyond, stand one on 
each side of the oldest statue in the city and one of 
the most celebrated pieces of the sculptor’s art—the 
statue of Carlos III. 

This is the work of the great artist Canova. In 
1794 it was removed to the Prado at the Indian 
Park, but by order of General Tacon, some forty 
years afterwards, it was restored to the place where 
it now stands. The statue and the pedestal are of 
Carrara marble. The carvings on the dados are 
exquisite. The mouldings of the pedestal are plain 
and beautifully proportioned. The statue is majes¬ 
tic and, with the pedestal, reaches the height of the 
trees along the avenue. Near each walk two lions, 
reposing on tall pedestals, guard the entrance to the 
Paseo. Farther towards the west is the statue of 
the “Five Goddesses.’’ Pretty fountains, but with¬ 
out great artistic merit, occur at frequent intervals 
along the Paseo. 

The drive along this magnificent boulevard is one 
which no visitor in Havana should miss. Palaces 
and villas are passed in succession, each with beau¬ 
tiful gardens. Not far from the western end of the 
Paseo we turned to the right, through a splendid 
gateway, into the Botanical Gardens and those ad¬ 
joining, the latter attached to the Quinta de Los 


OF FI AVAN A AND CUBA 


91 


Molinos, or summer residence of the former Cap¬ 
tain-Generals. All kinds of tropical fruits, flowers, 
plants, shrubs and trees are to be found in these 
celebrated grounds. The Botanical Gardens have 
for years belonged to the University of Havana, 
having been given to that institution for scientific 
purposes. Artificial waterfalls, grottoes and bowers 
make these grounds an earthly paradise. 

The entrance to the Quinta is between two rows 
of trees whose branches interlace. Little retreats, 
pavilions, statuary, graceful palms, rare plants and 
flowers make this an ideal country home. Here 
was the residence of General Maximo Gomez, for 
several months in the early part of 1899, as the guest 
of the military authorities of the United States. 

In this elysium the aristocratic and the wealthy of 
the luxurious city, in former days, gathered in the 
late afternoons to promenade and to enjoy its beau¬ 
ties. At present, owing to the political troubles of 
the last few years, these gardens have a somewhat 
neglected appearance; but the avenue of royal palms 
compensates for all defects. It is worth going a 
thousand miles to see. 

The Hill of Principe, just west of the Botanical 
Gardens, stands at the foot of the Paseo. A cal- 
zada, leading to Colon Cemetery, leaves the Paseo 
de Tacon at this hill. It skirts the base of the hill, 


92 NORTONS COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

and gradually ascends the rising ground to the west. 
There are a row of trees and a cactus hedge on each 
side of the road. Just after leaving the Paseo de 
Tacon, the Calzada passes the large private hospital, 
or casa de salud, La Integridad. 

The day was simply perfect. Every object stood 
out in bold relief. The city lay back of us. Pretty 
villages, fertile valleys, broken by hills, crowned 
often with stately structures, graceful palms, fields 
of growing corn, trim little gardens, grazing cattle, 
streams winding through green pastures—such was 
the picture to the southeast. We passed neat Cuban 
farm houses and hamlets with their little stores and 
“corner groceries.” When to the north and west the 
blue waters of the Gulf broke upon our view the 
whole scene was one of entrancing beauty. Soon we 
were at the Cementerio de Colon. 




Boneyard, Colon Cemetery. 
















OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


93 


COLON CEMETERY. 

The gateway is of majestic proportions, and has 
three semi-circular arched entrances, the one in the 
center being the largest. The arch of each entrance 
has three recesses in front and three in rear, with a 
column standing in each angle. The mouldings of 
the three arches contain scroll, embattlemented and 
chevron work. The body of the gateway is granite, 
with projections where the two smaller entrances are 
placed, and the cornice is decorated with dentels and 
serrate ornamentations. 

The portion above the central entrance slants in¬ 
ward for a proper distance, as it rises, and then con¬ 
tinues in a perpendicular direction, giving the 
appearance of a low square tower surmounting the 
gateway, embellished with columns and with cornice 
ornamented in a manner similar to that of the re¬ 
maining portion. An acroterium stands in the cen¬ 
ter of this tower, and one on each side of it stands 
at the outer edge of the tower, on which are to be 
placed marble shafts. Above the central arch, both 
in front and rear, is a semi-circular panel, on each 
of which are carved figures and a landscape. 

We entered the cemetery, and went to the spot 

where the Maine victims were first buried. It is a 
7 


94 Norton’s complete hand-book 

consolation to know that their bodies did not become 
a prey to the sharks which infest the harbor, and 
that their remains now repose in our own beautiful 
Arlington. We next visited General Garcia’s tomb, 
soon to be replaced by one much more elaborate. 

Near by is the Students’ Monument. Gonzalez 
Castanon, colonel of volunteers, was killed by the 
Cuban, Mateo Orosco. It was claimed that on No¬ 
vember 25, 1871, some medical students of the Uni¬ 
versity of Havana had broken into Castanon’s tomb, 
in the Cementerio de Espada, and had scratched the 
glass on the coffin. The forty-two members of the 
class were arrested, but their innocence being shown, 
they were released. This enraged the volunteers. 
They procured the trial of the students by court- 
martial. All were sentenced to death. Eight stu¬ 
dents were shot at La Punta November 27, 1871, the 
sentence of the remainder being commuted to im¬ 
prisonment for life. Twenty years later Castanon’s 
son, who came to Havana to take his father’s re¬ 
mains back to Spain, stated that the scratches had 
been made by masons while repairing the tomb. 

The monument is of Carrara marble. On the 
pedestal, at the base of the shaft, stands Justice with 
broken sword and unbalanced scales on one side; on 
the other, History is pointing to the figure of Inno¬ 
cence, issuing from an open door below, bearing a 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


95 


scroll on which is written Truth. The top of the 
column is covered with a mantle, falling in graceful 
folds about the shaft. Both in design and effect 
this is a noble work of art. The sculptor has suc¬ 
ceeded admirably in symbolizing sorrow, and the 
triumph of truth over error. 

The finest memorial in the cemetery, and, per¬ 
haps, as a work of art, the finest of its kind in the 
world, is the Firemen’s Monument, erected in honor 
of the firemen who perished in fighting a great con¬ 
flagration on the 17th of May, 1890. Five steps 
lead to the top of the marble base upon which the 
pedestal rests. On the panels, between columns, in 
high relief, are carved, on the four sides of the 
pedestal, the busts of the thirty firemen whose 
bravery is commemorated. Another mass of marble 
rests on the pedestal, with four pillars supporting a 
thick slab having a pediment on each of its four 
sides, each pediment containing appropriate inscrip¬ 
tions. On the side of the shaft facing the avenue 
which passes the monument, is a disk with a star in 
the center, and in the circular band around the star 
are the words, “Habana, 17 De Mayo, 1890.” 
There are carvings of helmets, speaking trumpets, 
ladders, and the like. A battlemented cornice, on 
which rests a large octagonal piece of marble with 
carvings, terminates the column. A great cross rises 


g 6 Norton’s complete hand-book 

from this last piece, and resting against the cross an 
angel with wings outspread is supporting the life¬ 
less body of a fireman. A beautifully chiseled figure 
sits at each corner of the pedestal, Faith, Hope, 
Love and Sorrow. Marble pillars project above its 
base, with ornamental iron railing between them. 
Appropriate inscriptions are carved in various places 
on the monument. It is all of pure Carrara marble 
and is the work of an Italian sculptor. 

The monument is very tall. If I am not greatly 
mistaken, I was told that it is one hundred and fifty 
feet high. It was completed in 1897, and is nomi¬ 
nally the tribute of the city of Havana to the mem¬ 
ory of these brave men. Cubans and Spaniards alike 
joined to raise this magnificent shaft to perpetuate 
the martyrdom of these victims to their duty. 

Hundreds of other monuments of exquisite work¬ 
manship adorn the cemetery. Among them Gothic 
temples in miniature, most delicately ornamented, 
are to be seen on every hand. Italy has been most 
largely drawn upon for designs. 

From four o’clock until six, in the afternoon, is 
the time for burials. Here may be seen the magni¬ 
ficent funeral cortege, the modest procession, and 
the coffin borne on the shoulders of four stout ne¬ 
groes, for poverty cannot hire a hearse. In Cuba, 
the friends of the deceased are invited to the funeral. 





Students Monument, Colon Cemetery. Firemen’s Monument, Colon Cemetery. 














OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


97 


They come in their carriages. Women and children 
never attend funerals. They go to the house of the 
deceased, and pay their respects to the family. Af¬ 
ter the interment, the friends in attendance return 
to the bereaved family and shake hands with them 
in token of sympathy and friendship. 

In one part of Colon Cemetery is the celebrated 
“boneyard.” We did not visit the spot, and should 
not have seen its ghastly contents had we done so, 
as it has been covered. A grave for one person in 
this cemetery for a term of five years costs $10, and 
a grave for three persons costs for each person $3. 
The church duties in the former case are $8, and 
in the latter $4. At the end of five years, if the 
remains are not claimed, they are thrown by the 
cemetery authorities into the boneyard. 

Those who cannot afford to purchase a plot in 
the cemetery, for which must be paid 43.50 centenes, 
or about $225, but who are able to buy a coffin, them¬ 
selves carry the remains in it to a large ditch and 
deposit it in this common grave. Those unable to 
procure even a coffin, and who do not wish to have 
the remains thrown into the boneyard, are allowed 
to take them to this ditch in a coffin loaned to them 
for that purpose by the cemetery authorities, but 
which they must return. The American Baptist 
Cemeterv Association, whose cemetery is located a 


98 Norton’s complete hand-book 

short distance from Colon Cemetery, follows, it is 
said, the same rules in respect to its dead. Some 
American soldiers were accustomed to take skulls 
and bones from the boneyard, and to drive through 
the streets of Havana with them. General Brooke 
heard of this, put a stop to it and ordered the great 
hole to be covered, which was done. The Asiatic 
Cemetery, frequently called the Chinese, is a short 
distance south of the Colon. We left this beautiful 
city of the dead, and followed a rough cart track for 
some distance to El Vedado. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA ' 


99 


EL VEDADO. 

This is a beautiful suburb of Havana, and is sit¬ 
uated partly on a rocky elevation and partly on level 
ground between this plateau and the Gulf. The low 
land is but a few feet above the level of the sea, and 
is underlaid with coral rock. We descended from 
the plateau between villas and pretty houses, all 
of stone or marble, with grand views of the Gulf. 
Everything bore an air of comfort and luxury. The 
surf was breaking upon the coral rock, for there was 
a fresh breeze off the water. 

We stopped at the Hotel de Trotcha. This was 
for a long time General Brooke’s headquarters, and 
was a residence for officers of the American army 
at the time we were in Havana. It stands on the 
level ground, and fronts on the Calzada de Vedado. 
Going into the building, we were shown through it 
by the wife of the gentleman who has charge of 
the place. Everything was neat and the rooms were 
cool and pleasant. We passed out upon a veranda 
extending along the west side of the 'building. In 
a great basin filled with water, there was an alligator 

r- 

five or six feet in length, sunning himself. 

The broad Calzada is lined on either side with 
buildings of stone and marble one, two, and,, some 


L.of C. 


100 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


of them, even three stories high. The grounds sur¬ 
rounding most of them are very spacious. Many 
wealthy and fashionable people of Havana have 
residences in the Vedado. 

As we drove eastward the Calzada approached the 
shore. We passed several batteries. The breakers 
came rolling in and dashing themselves against the 
coral ledge, throwing up airy clouds of spray which 
floated off in rainbows. 

The range of hills extending from near the shore 
southward to Principe Hill rose before us like a 
rampart. Coral rock was being placed along the 
drive, and a great steam-roller, the first, it is said, 
ever seen on the island, was crushing it down. We 
passed limestone quarries, quant eras, then Santa 
Clara Battery on our right, a little farther on the 
Lepers’ Hospital, and opposite, at our left, the old 
round tower, El Torreon. We curved about the 
Inlet, Coleta, of San Lazaro, and struck the Calzada, 
Ancha del Norte. On the left of the Calzada, im¬ 
mediately to the east of the inlet stands the Queen’s 
Battery. Soon we came to the public baths, on some 
of which men were at work. 

These baths, banos, are four in number and are all 
on the Plava de San Lazaro, or Beach of San La¬ 
zaro. Their names are: Campos Eliseos, San 
Rafael, Las Delicias and La Revolution. The 




Facade of Cathedral, Empedrado Street, Havana. 

































OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


IOI 


Campos Eliseos are the best and most fashionable. 
These baths are carved out of the coral rock, and the 
pocetas, or pools, of the largest ones are about 18 
yards long by 6 wide and 4 deep. The water in 
them is at no time deeper than 6 feet. The pocetas 
of the smaller baths are about 18 feet long by 12 
wide. 

The end of each poceta nearest the Gulf is about 
6 feet from the water. Two openings in this end, 
about 9 feet long by 6 feet wide in the larger baths, 
and about 4 feet long by 2 feet wide in the smaller, 
allow a constant inflow and outflow of the water, 
which is thus at all times kept pure. When the 
tide is low there is little water in the pools. For 
that reason bathers generally wait until full tide, 
which rises to a height of about two feet, so that the 
pools will be well filled. Light frame structures are 
built over the pocetas, which are taken down when 
the bathing season is over, and kept safe until the 
next season, when they are placed in their former 
positions. The water outside of these baths is prob¬ 
ably from 30 to 40 feet deep. Sharks have never 
been seen in any of the pools, although they often 
come near them, but swim away to avoid being 
dashed by the waves against the honeycombed coral 
rocks. 

The “season,” La Temporada de Banos, begins 


102 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


about the first of June and closes about the middle 
of October. A single bath costs 40 cents; 20 baths 
not “reserved’’ cost $2.50, and 20 baths “reserved” 
cost $5. These prices are in Spanish silver. Baths 
reserved for the whole season for the use of all the 
members of a family cost 15 centenes, or $79.50. 

Just beyond the Campos Eliseos baths is a small 
arm of the Gulf where draft horses are driven in and 
washed. It seemed to me that they take some 
chances with the sharks. We drove bv La Punta 
fortress. It was in front of this fort that the eight 
medical students whose monument we saw in Colon 
Cemetery were shot. Opposite, are the Presidio and 
the Carcel, and a little east of the latter, the small 
circular Parque de La Punta, with its eight walks, 
and as many ornamented plots of ground, in which 
there is a fine monument to Neptune. A block south¬ 
east of the Park is the Morgue or Necrocomio, and 
a little farther on the church of Santo Angel, at 
Monserrate and Cuarteles streets. Two or three 
blocks farther along we reached the Columbus 
Cathedral. 




Interior Cathedral—Chancel—Grand Altar 




























OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


103 


THE CATHEDRAL. 

Seminario de San Carlos extends along the east 
side of San Ignacio street, from Empedrado street 
to Chacon street. This seminary building presents 
a very massive and weather-beaten appearance. In 
connection with it and adjoining it on the east, 
stands The Cathedral, whose full name is Catedral 
de la Virgen Maria de la Concepcion. 

Several steps lead to the three doorways of the 
Cathedral, which fronts on Empedrado street. On 
either side of each of the doors stands a column with 
elaborate cornice above its capital. Several other 
columns ornament the lower part of the facade and 
several more, its upper portion. There is a niche on 
either side of the middle and larger door, and three 
niches in the upper story. A moderate-sized, semi¬ 
circular quatrefoil window with square shoulders 
between the arches, adorns this story, and there is a 
small window above each of the two smaller doors, 
of the same general character with the larger win¬ 
dow, but its arches are only slightly curved. A 
tower consisting of several stories, rises from the 
ground at each corner of the Cathedral front. The 
eastern tower is the larger. There are bells in each 
story. The Cathedral belongs to the Latin-Gothic 
style of architecture, and is built of coral rock. 


104 NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

The interior of the Cathedral is ornate. Two 
rows of massive columns separate the nave from the 
aisles. These columns are highly polished mahogany 
of the finest variety. Their capitals are bronzed. 
The rich vault impresses by its lofty height. The 
floor is composed of moderate-sized marble blocks, 
which are arranged after the reticulated pattern. 

From the nave three marble steps lead to the chan¬ 
cel, or choir. Three marble steps also lead from 
the marble pavement of the chancel to the grand 
altar, whose base is composed of various kinds of 
marble, from which rise eight Corinthian columns 
supporting a dome, both columns and dome being of 
polished porphyry. This altar stands in the center 
of the choir. A marble block, supporting a globe, 
stands in the center, and on this globe is a beautiful 
figure with hands clasped in prayer, the statue of the 
Immaculate Conception. There are side-altars and 
service-tables. 

Back of the high altar is a reredos or screen, with 
handsome panels, heavy cornice, supported by fluted 
pilasters, and a Greek porch with acroteria, on which 
are placed finely carved images. Beneath the porch 
is the bishop’s throne. The cornice of the screen is 
surmounted by a crest of candelabra, between 
which ornamental marble slabs stand, whereon busts 
of the apostles are carved. The pulpit is adorned 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


105 


with delicate tracery. Candlesticks of beautiful 
patterns stand on the altars, on the service-tables and 
on fluted Ionic columns. In the chancel are ma¬ 
hogany stalls for the priests. One of the very in¬ 
teresting objects of the Cathedral is the Chapel of 
the Virgin of Loretto, commemorating the legend of 
the transportation by angels of the house wherein 
was wrought the mystery of the Incarnation, from 
Nazareth to the mountain of Tersato, in Dalmatia, 
thence a few years later to the territory of Recanati, 
into a forest belonging to a lady called Loretta, and 
shortly afterwards to the spot, a short distance re¬ 
moved, which it now occupies, where the village of 
Loretto has since sprung into existence. 

The interior of the Cathedral presents an array of 
costly and beautiful objects. The walls are frescoed, 
and the spandrels of the arches of the vaults are 
ornamented with vignettes and other kinds of deli¬ 
cate tracerv. It is often called the Columbus 
Cathedral, but this appellation properly has no 
other significance than to designate the place where 
reposed for a century the remains of the discoverer. 

Columbus died at V alladolid, May 20, 1506, and 
his body was deposited in the convent of San Fran¬ 
cisco in that city. In 1513, his body was transported 
to Seville, and in the year 1536, his remains, with 
those of his son Diego, were removed to the prin- 


io6 


NORTON S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


cipal chapel of San Domingo, Hispaniola. Decem¬ 
ber 20, 1795, the bones of Columbus were taken 
from the leaden coffin, which had been deposited in 
the wall on the right side of the altar of the Cathe¬ 
dral, and placed in a case of gilded lead, about 
twenty-two and a half inches in length and breadth 
and about fifteen inches in height. This case was 
secured by an iron lock and key, and was inclosed in 
a coffin. 

On the following day, this coffin was put on board 
the ship San Lorenzo, which immediately sailed for 
Havana, where it arrived January 15, 1796. Amid 
much pomp, after the safe transportation of the re¬ 
mains had been authenticated, they were deposited 
in a niche or vault in the wall, on the right side of 
the grand altar of the Cathedral of Havana. A 
marble slab, on which was carved the bust of Co¬ 
lumbus, sealed up the vault. On this slab is the fol¬ 
lowing inscription : 

0 Restos e' Imogen del grande Colon! 

Mil siglos durad guardados en la Urna, 

Y en la rernembranza de nuestra Nacion. 

Translation: 

Oh, rest thou, image of the great Colon, 

A thousand centuries remain guarded in the urn, 

And in the memory of our nation. 













































































OF HAVANA AND CUBA IOJ 

Above the marble slab which sealed up the tomb 
is a beautifully carved wreath of flowers with a 
knot at the top from which two ribbons hang grace¬ 
fully down, whereon are carved the words: 

La Ciudad de la Habana a. C. Colon, 12 Octubre, 
1892. 

The City of Habana to C. Colon, October 12, 
1892. 

Some years ago the “Tumba Monumento de 
Colon,” or Columbus Monument, was erected in the 
Cathedral. It stood about twenty feet from the main 
entrance, and faced the grand altar. A very large 
granite pedestal, perhaps three feet high, supported 
at each of its four corners a noble figure with crown 
on head and alb falling about the feet. Over the 
shoulders of each of the two foremost figures hung 
a cope with flowing front, on one of which was 
carved a castle and on the other a lion, representing 
Castile and Leon. On the shoulders of these four 
figures rested a marble bier of handsome design, 
over which was a pall of elaborate pattern. 

The remains of Columbus were taken from the 
niche in the wall of the Cathedral and placed in this 
bier. At the close of the Spanish-American War, 
in 1898, they were taken to Spain on the cruiser 
Conde Venadito. Nothing except the pedestal of 
this monument is left. 


108 Norton’s complete hand-book 

The foundations of the Cathedral were laid in 
1656 and the structure was finished in 1724. It was 
used by the Jesuits for a college until 1789, when 
they were expelled from the city, and their church 
became the Cathedral of Havana. It marks the site 
of a church erected in 1519. Solemn high mass is 
celebrated in the Cathedral every Sunday. 

Our next point was El Templete, The Little 
Temple, or Columbus Memorial Chapel, opposite the 
Plaza de Armas, between O’Reilly and Ena streets. 

It is a little white chapel in the Grecian style of 
architecture. On the walls of the anteroom hang 
three great pictures. The one on the left shows 
Columbus taking formal possession of the island of 
Cuba and swearing the allegiance of the Indians to 
his sovereigns. The picture on the wall facing the 
visitor as he enters the room, portrays the reception 
of Columbus at the court of Spain after his first 
voyage. The picture at the right commemorates the 
celebration of the first mass in Havana. These 
paintings are by Murillo. 

A handsome fence encloses the little yard in which 
El Templete stands, and in one corner of this yard 
is a large Ceiha tree, marking the very spot where 
the first mass was celebrated in Havana in 1519. 
The Ceiba tree under which the first mass was said 
was cut down in 1753, and its ofif-shoot, in 1828. 


El Templete, or Columbus Memorial Chapel, Showing Ceiba Tree on the Left. 








































































OF HAVANA AND CUBA IC>9 

The off-shoot of this latter is the one which now 
marks the spot. A sprout is always kept growing, 
to take the place of the tree destroyed or removed. 

The site of the present city was first visited by 
Captain Sebastian Ocampo, in 1508, who called the 
place Puerto Carenas. On July 25, 1515, Don Diego 
de Velasquez founded a city on the southern coast, 
where Batabano stands, which he called San Cristo¬ 
bal de la Habana. In 1518 this city was removed 
to the mouth of the Almendares, or Chorrera River, 
where the town of Chorrera is situated, four miles 
west of Havana, and was called Pueblo Viejo, or 
Old City. A few months later, in 1519, it was trans¬ 
ferred to its present location and its former name of 
Havana was resumed. It then had 50 inhabitants. 
Havana was authorized to call itself a city in 1592, 
at which time its population was 14,000. 

We were very fortunate in gaining entrance to 
this celebrated chapel, as it is open to the public but 
once each year, and very few visitors ever view its 
interior. It was built in 1528 by Colonel Antonio 
de la Torre y Cardenas. Here, on the 25th of Feb¬ 
ruary, 1900, the newly-appointed bishop of Havana, 
Bishop Sabaretti, received the miter, the crozier and 
the episcopal robes; prayers were said, and a grand 
procession marched to the Cathedral, where the clos¬ 
ing ceremonies of his investiture took place. 

8 


no 


NORTON S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


CHURCHES. 

Besides the churches already sufficiently de¬ 
scribed, Havana has a number of others interesting 
from their historical associations, interiorly beauti¬ 
ful and exteriorly impressive. 

Belen Church and Jesuit Convent.—This church 
and group of buildings, occupying nearly or quite a 
block, are at the corner of Compostella and Luz 
streets. Bishop Diego Avelino de Compostella had 
built, in his private garden, in 1695, a church called 
San Diego de Alcala. The present group of build¬ 
ings was erected in 1704. The Franciscan monks 
of this church maintained a free school in Havana 
up to the latter part of the last century. 

In 1854, the buildings were given to the Jesuits, 
who established the Royal College of Belen. The 
walls of this building are from ten to twelve feet 
in thickness. The observatory is one of the best in 
Cuba. It has a fine collection of coins, medals, shells 
and a museum of natural historv. The church has 

j 

a high altar, a side altar, a sacristy and vestry back 
of the latter. Its floor is of marble. 

San Augustin.—This is one of the oldest churches 
in Havana—dating from 1608. It is situated at 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


III 


the corner of Teniente Rey and Cuba streets. It is 
a long stone building with a high tower. 

Santa Clara.—This church is on Cuba street, be¬ 
tween Sol and Luz streets. It was founded in 1644 
and is connected with the largest and wealthiest 
nunnery in Cuba. 

Santa Catalina.—This church is on O’Reilly 
street, at the corner of Compostella street. It was 
built in 1698, and dedicated in 1700. The bodies of 
the martyrs, Celestino and Lucido, were brought 
as relics from Rome and deposited in this church. 

Santo Domingo.—“More men go to the church 
of Santo Domingo than to any other because more 
pretty women go there." It is situated at the cor¬ 
ner of Mercaderes and O’Reilly streets. 

San Felipe, located at the corner of Obrapia and 
Aguiar streets, has a large library. 

Las Mercedes, at the corner of Cuba and Merced 
streets, is elsewhere described at length. 

These churches are richly decorated, and some of 
their statuary and images are adorned with costly 
ornaments and jewels. There are a number of other 
Catholic churches but those just noticed are the 
most interesting from the historical point of view. 

There are several Protestant churches in Havana 
located at the following places: 


112 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


Baptist, corner of Dragones and Zulueta streets. 
Dr. Diaz is the pastor. 

Methodist Chapel, 120 Consulado street, between 
Animas and Trocadero streets. Rev. George N. 
MacDonnell, pastor. 

Episcopal Chapel, at 5 Zulueta street. 

Mission of the Church of Christ, at 63 Prado; 
Rev. Lowell C. McPherson, pastor. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


113 


CENTRO ASTURIANO. 

From the Templete, we drove east one block on 
Ena street, and south along San Pedro street, past 
Muelle Cabellaria, Cabellaria Wharf, and Muelle 
Carpineti, to the Plaza de San Francisco. Here is 
the Custom-house, formerly the monastery of San 
Francisco. This vast stone structure possesses the 
highest tower and is one of the oldest buildings in 
the city. 

The cells, quadrangles and cloisters can yet be 
seen, as also the paintings on the ceilings. When 
the English captured Havana in 1762, it became the 
Protestant church, but when the city was restored 
to Spain, in 1763, the building was not allowed 
again to be used as a Catholic convent or church. 
On the harbor side of the building is Custom-house 
Wharf, Muelle de San Francisco, and immediately 
south of the latter, Muelle Machina. 

From the Custom-house we were driven through 
the lowest quarter of the city to the Casa de Reco- 
jidas, or Prison for Abandoned Women. It is on 
Compostella street, between Fundicion and O’Far- 
rill streets, and is only two blocks from the harbor. 
It is a long, one-story building of coral rock 

For many months the beautiful Sehorita. Evan- 


ii4 Norton’s complete hand-book 

gelina Cosio y Cisneros, a victim of Weyler’s cruelty, 
was confined here among the most degraded crea¬ 
tures. The story of her escape from this place, on 
the night of October 6, 1897, accompanied by her 
rescuer, Mr. Karl Decker, a reporter for the New 
York Journal, is familiar to the public. We went 
around into Calle O’Farrill, and viewed the little 
house upon whose roof Miss Cisneros climbed, by 
means of a ladder reaching from the parapet of the 
prison to the roof of the house. We drove along 
Vigia street, and out upon Egido street, the route 
taken by Mr. Decker and Miss Cisneros in their 
flight. 

Coming out upon Zulueta street, we went north 
until we were opposite the Pasaje Hotel, which faces 
on that street as well as on the Prado. Here are 
two or three vacant squares surrounded by a fence. 
Debris of various kinds was strewn over the ground. 
At a corner of one of these blocks, crumbling here 
and there into ruins, is all that is left of the old walls 
of the city. 

The last place visited was the home of the great 
club, Centro Asturiano. Its furnishings are splen¬ 
did. It has a well-selected library of 5,000 volumes, 
and occupies several floors. The staircase is of Mexi¬ 
can onyx, but the most notable feature, perhaps, is 
the great dancing hall, with its polished marble floor 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 11 5 

and magnificent chandeliers. These latter were im¬ 
ported at a cost of $11,500. The club spent $35,000 
in merely fitting up its ball room. This is L-shaped 
and capable of accommodating a thousand couples 
on the floor at the same time. 

A corridor extends the full length of each side 
of this ball room. The ceilings of the corridors are 
supported by handsome Corinthian columns, upon 
whose central portions are delicate carvings. The 
entablatures of these corridors are beautifully orna¬ 
mented. Rooms open from the inner corridor. 
Splendid chandeliers depend from the ceilings of 
these passageways. Great square, sunken panels, 
whose sides are finely decorated but whose central 
portions are perfectly plain, adorn this noble room. 
At the angle of the L there is a dais. 

A few evenings after this visit, we attended a 
masked ball at this place. The floor was crowded 
with dancers, some with and some without masks. 
The scene was brilliant. The dances were, most of 
them, of a rather stately order. 

Ten thousand members, among whom are several 
hundred Americans, enjoy the hospitality of this 
magnificent home. 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


i 16 


CLUBS. 

There are numerous clubs in Havana, some of 
them with large memberships and luxurious ap¬ 
pointments. Many of them seem to be conducted 
somewhat on the mutual benefit plan. Some ac¬ 
count of the more important ones will here be given. 

The Union Club.—This club has its home, which 
looks out upon Parque Central, in a building at 
the corner of Neptuno and Zulueta streets. It has 
upon its list of members the most distinguished men 
in the island. While Spaniards and Americans, 
and perhaps men of other nationalities, belong to 
this club, its affairs are controlled wholly by Cu¬ 
bans. Most of the former Captain-Generals of the 
island, since its organization about twenty years ago, 
have been members. 

The club has a reading room, library, cardroom, 
billiard-room, bathroom and restaurant. It is a 
purely social organization. There are two classes 
of members, a comparatively small number who 
vote on questions relating to the conduct of the af¬ 
fairs of the club, and a much larger number who, 
while having all the benefits and privileges of the 
society, have no voice in regulating its policy. 

El Casino Espanol.—The Spanish Casino is on the 
Prado a few blocks from the north shore. Only 


Centro Asturiano—Ball Room, Zulueta Street, Opposite Central Park, Havana. 













OF HAVANA AND CUBA 117 

peninsulars, persons born in Spain, can become 
members of this club. Even their children born in 
Cuba are excluded from membership. It has a beau¬ 
tiful club-house, with marble halls, fine paintings 
and all the accessories which wealth and luxury can 
provide. Many masked balls and social fetes take 
place within its walls. The membership is about 
1 , 200 . 

Centro Asturiano.—This club is, in some respects, 
the most interesting one in the city. It occupies 
several floors in the Albisu Theater Block, on Zu- 
lueta street, opposite Central Park. 

The club was organized more than thirty years 
ago. It has a membership of over io,ooo. The club 
spent $35,000 in fitting up its great ball-room. The 
chandeliers in this hall are imported, and cost $11,- 
500. There are schools kept up by the club for the 
benefit of its members. A special class has been 
organized for the American members, who wish to 
learn Spanish, over 400 of whom have joined since 
January 1, 1899. 

The club has an annual income of about $23,000. 
Not very long ago it purchased the Quinta de Leo- 
nor Herrera, country-seat of Leonor Herrera, in 
Cerro, and converted it into a fine private hospital 
for the use of its members. This is a most beautiful 
place. 


n8 Norton’s complete hand-book 

The grounds are very large, and are adorned 
with gardens and fine trees. Splendid hospital 
buildings stand in the center of the grounds. The 
entrance to the buildings is through avenues of royal 
palms and laurel trees for a distance of half a mile. 
Pavilions have been erected in various places. 

Each ailment has its separate department. The 
rooms for the sick are light and airy. No more than 
four patients are kept in one room at a time, and 
most of the rooms are for but one person. 

The sanatorium is the finest in the island.- The 
building is constructed of coral rock and marble. 
The ceilings are about sixteen feet high. The 
kitchen is very large, has all the modern improve¬ 
ments, and the cooks are the best that can be pro¬ 
cured. 

The very best physicians are in attendance. The 
surgical instruments employed are the latest and of 
the most approved character. Since the opening of 
the sanatorium four years ago, the books show 1,337 
sick, 1,177 of whom have been sent away cured; 
5423 consultations, and 145 operations performed, 
all of which were successful. The attending phy¬ 
sician is the celebrated Dr. Bango. 

This Quinta is called “La Covadonga.” To be¬ 
come a member, all that is necessary is to apply to 
the secretary, who takes the name and the address of 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA I It) 

the applicant. In a few days the collector appears 
and is paid $1.50 Spanish silver. After a month has 
elapsed, the new member is entitled to all the benefits 
of the society. These are entree to the balls or con¬ 
certs given every fifteen days, and a right to attend 
the schools of the club, whose sessions are held at 
night. The society elects a president, a vice-presi¬ 
dent, a secretary, a treasurer and a committee of 40 
members, which holds its meetings each week. 

Centro Dependientes.—This club is quite similar 
in its organization and objects to those of the Cen¬ 
tro Asturiano. It has a membership of 12,000 and 
has its own beautiful hospital called “Purissima Con¬ 
cepcion,” on Alejandro Ramirez street, Jesus del 
Monte. The club’s home is in the building in which 
the Centro Asturiano is situated, and is next to that 
club’s rooms. The Centro Dependientes is the 
clerks’ club. 

Havana Yacht Club.—This is the oldest club in 
Havana. Its club house is very fine and is located 
at Marianao. Other clubs are: Club Antillano; 
Carridad del Cerro, a very aristocratic society; So- 
ciedad del Vedado, the Sport Club; Centro de Arte- 
sanos ; Club San Carlos ; and the German Club. The 
colored people have two societies, one called Centro 
Cocinero and the other, Divina Carridad. These 
latter have schools for the children of their members. 


120 


NORTON S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


The Catalan Club.—Many years ago the sons of 
the province of Cataluna, Spain, organized this club, 
erected a beautiful club house, and spent a large sum 
of money in building a wall around the Hill of Mon- 
serrate, about a mile south of Principe Hill, and in 
ornamenting the grounds enclosed for pleasure pur¬ 
poses. The place was to be similar to the fairy 
grounds on the Hill of Monserrate, in Cataluna, 
Spain, dedicated to the Virgin, the patron Saint of 
the Catalans. The club has either disbanded or is 
nearly broken up, and its lovely structures and 
grounds are almost in ruins. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


121 


HOSPITALS AND ASYLUMS. 

There are several excellent hospitals in Havana. 
Some are government institutions; some are under 
the direction of church societies; some are main¬ 
tained by the benefit societies or clubs for their own 
members, like that connected with the Centro As- 
turiano Club, and some are private hospitals. 

Reina Mercedes Hospital.—This is perhaps the 
best institution of its kind in the city. It is situated 
between El Vedado and Principe Castle. It is a civil 
institution. Under the direction of the Department 
of Engineers this hospital is to have an electric light 
plant, new floors, a new system of plumbing, and 
is to be improved in other respects. 

Hospital de San Lazaro.—This hospital is on San 
Lazaro street and fronts on the Gulf. Its location 
is excellent, and the buildings are handsome. This 
institution is maintained by the municipal govern¬ 
ment, but was built with money contributed for that 
purpose by Cubans, all of whom are dead. 

The hospital is an institution for the care of lepers, 
and is divided into two sections, one for men, the 
other for women. There are nearly 200 cases of 
leprosy in it. There are 60 female lepers, and the 


122 


NORTON’S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


remaining cases are those of men and boys. It is 
under the care of forty Sisters, who are never al¬ 
lowed to leave the institution. 

The place is kept scrupulously clean. Its medical 
corps is excellent. At the head of the hospital is a 
physician director. While some of the patients are 
pitiable objects to look upon, all of the inmates, it is 
said, appear to be happy. They laugh and chat gaily 
with one another. 

Some years ago, in a meeting of distinguished 
physicians held at Havana, some expressed the be¬ 
lief that leprosy is contagious. But a majority de¬ 
clared it to be hereditary, and adduced as a proof of 
this assertion the fact that, of the forty Sisters, who, 
for twenty years, had taken care of these unfor¬ 
tunates, not one had the least taint of leprosy about 
her, and that all were rosy and healthy. If a healthy 
person and a leper marry, it is quite likely that their 
children will never show any signs of leprosy, but 
the next generation will surely be lepers. In the 
whole history of the building, there has been but 
one case of suicide, that of a Chinaman, who threw 
himself from the roof of the building and was killed 
by the fall. 

Military Hospitals.—The finest military hospitals 
are situated at the foot of Principe Hill. These are 
occupied as hospitals for American soldiers. These 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


123 


hospitals were well conducted under Spanish rule. 
The buildings are large and imposing. There is a 
Hospital Militar on Diaria street fronting the har¬ 
bor. The remaining institutions are private “ quin¬ 
tas ” or are connected with the various clubs and 
social organizations of the city. 

ASYLUMS. 

Of these, the most noteworthy is the Casa de 
Beneficia, whose full title was La Real Casa de Bene- 
ficia y Maternidad, established about 1790, on Belas- 
coain street near the Gulf. It is an immense build¬ 
ing, and is an almshouse or asylum for old and 
infirm persons, for orphan and destitute children, 
and for the insane. 

Asilo de San Jose, on San Lazaro and Soledad 
streets, is a reformatory for boys. The Casa de 
Recojidas, corner of Compostella and O’Farrill 
streets, is a place where female convicts and aban¬ 
doned women are confined. There is an asylum for 
aged men at 442 Calzada del Cerro; St. Vincent de 
Paul, for girls, is at 797 Calzada del Cerro; Home 
for Aged Men and Women, at 3 Buenos Aires, Cer¬ 
ro; Orphan Asylum, at 129 Cuba street, and the 
Society for the Relief of Children, at 77 San Ignacio 
street. The Mazoera, or Insane Asylum, about nine 
or ten miles from the city, near Vento and the Al- 


124 Norton’s complete hand-book 

mendares River, is a very fine institution with hand¬ 
some grounds. It is reached by taking the Vil¬ 
lanueva Railroad, at the Villanueva Station, corner 
of the Prado and Dragones street. 










. 
















The Prado North from Central Park to La Punta. 








OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


125 


OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST. 

There are other drives, parks and places in and 
about Havana which deserve notice. 

La Alameda de Paula extends from the foot of 
Paula street along the harbor to the foot of Luz 
street. It is bordered on one side by Officios street, 
here called Paseo de Paula, and by the Paula Wharf 
on the harbor side. In its center there is a fountain, 
from which rises a marble column adorned with na¬ 
tional emblems and trophies. At the Paula street 
end of the park is Paula Church, while farther west 
fronting the harbor are the Almacenes, or Maga¬ 
zines, of Havana, Almacenes Hacendados and Al¬ 
macenes de San Jose, with their wharves. At the 
other extremity is the Plaza de Luz. From the Luz 
Pier the ferryboats of the United Railways of Ha¬ 
vana ply across the harbor to Fesser Station, Regia, 
and from this pier also the ferryboats of the Cuban 
Electric Company run across the harbor to its sta¬ 
tion at Regia. 

The Herrera Docks are immediately north of 
Plaza de Luz. Adjoining these on the north is the 
Muelle Machina, Barge Office, or Landing Place. 
One of the prettiest plazas in the city is that of San 

Juan de Dios, at the corner of Aguiar and Empe- 

9 


126 Norton’s complete hand-book 

drado streets. Cortina de Valdes extending along 
the channel, sometimes called River of Havana, from 
the foot of Empedrado and Mercaderes streets to the 
foot of Chacon street, is a paseo and park. Parque 
de Trillo occupies a square at the corner of San 
Rafael and Aramburu streets, and Almendares Park, 
or the baseball grounds, is situated on Carlos Ter- 
cero. 

A fine drive may be taken along the Calzada del 
Monte and Calzada del Cerro, through the suburb 
of that name, and through Tulipan. There are many 
beautiful residences to be seen along the route. 

At the terminus of Calzada de Palatino, some 
three or four miles southwest of Plaza de Armas, 
lies Quinta de Palatino, about half way between the 
Vento Canal, to the east, and the Aqueduct of Fer¬ 
dinand VII to the west. In the old days this coun¬ 
try seat was a center of wealth, beauty and fashion. 
It is approached along an avenue of royal palms 
about a mile in length. It is also known as “Las 
Delicias,” and was the scene of splendid entertain¬ 
ments and banquets given by an aristocratic and 
wealthy Cuban, with the title of Conde de Pozos 
Dulces. The place is now nearly in ruins and the 
palace is used for a school of Puentes Grandes. 

Another famous country residence is that of 
Quinta del Obispo 6 Penalver, a short distance west 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 1 27 

of Tulipan. It is about three or three and a half 
miles southwest of the Plaza de Armas, and is 
reached by the Marianao Railroad. It was, long 
ago, the residence of the Bishop of Havana. It is 
now almost in ruins, and broken statues, shafts of 
columns and moss-covered stones lend an air of an¬ 
tiquity to the place. There are still to be seen cas¬ 
cades, swimming pools, fountains and little lakes. 
A stream also runs through the grounds. 

Playa de Marianao, on the coast, seven miles west 
of Havana, and two and one-half miles north of 
Marianao, is a fashionable seaside resort. There are 
music and dancing at the Playa every Saturday dur¬ 
ing the summer. It is reached by the Marianao Rail¬ 
road. 

Regia, across the harbor from Havana, is a city 
of 11,363 inhabitants. Here are the great sugar 
storehouses, or Almacenes de Regia, and a large 
bull-ring. Ferry boats run from Luz Pier to Regia. 

The tourist will be amply repaid for a visit to 
that quaint old city with an Indian name, Guana- 
bacoa, about two and a half miles east of Havana. 
It is beautifully located among hills, and is one of 
the healthiest cities in the island. The mineral baths 
of Santa Rita are much patronized by residents of 
Havana. Its population is 13,965. The Cuban Elec-, 
trie Railway runs from Regia to Guanabacoa. 


128 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Cojimar is a summer bathing resort at the mouth 
of the Cojimar River, and lies about three and a half 
or four miles northeast of Plaza de Armas and about 
two and a half miles north of Guanabacoa. Stages 
run from Guanabacoa to Cojimar. One end of the 
cable to Key West terminates here. 

Some nine miles south of Morro Castle is a hill 
which rises to a height of 73 2 ^ ee L with two round 
hummocks, called Tetas de Managua, or Managua 

Paps. 

Fifteen miles southeast of Havana is the remark¬ 
able cave of Cotilla. Lake Ariguanabo, twenty miles 
southwest of Havana, is about six square miles in 
area, and lies among high hills. The Rio San 
Antonio, or Ariguanabo, which drains Lake Ari¬ 
guanabo, disappears beneath a great ceiba tree in 

San Antonio de los Banos. 

One of the most interesting places to visit is the 
city of Matanzas, about sixty miles east of Havana. 
This city has a population of 36,374 persons. About 
three and a half miles from the city are the wonder 
ful caves of Bellamar, three miles long, and beautiful 
with crystal walls and immense stalactites. Here, 
too, is the famous valley of the Yumuri. 

“The valley of the Yumuri, which is situated in 
the province and near the city of Matanzas, has the 
reputation of being the most beautiful in the world. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 129 

It is a combination of mountains and ocean inlets 
and a river, and a broad plain of exquisite loveliness, 
and it is the scene of many romantic stories and 
much pathetic history.” 1 

Another interesting city to visit is Pinar del Rio, 
113 miles west of Havana, in the center of the 
Vuelta Aba jo district, celebrated as producing the 
finest flavored tobacco in the world. Cienfuegos, 
Batabano, Guines, and Santiago de Cuba are fre¬ 
quented by many persons visiting Havana. 


1 Murat Halstead, “The Story of Cuba," 485. 



I *c 


CO X 7 LZTE rLAXD-lOOi 


XCSTOX 5 


CUBAN INDEPENDENCE DAY 

Saturday February r_. 190c ushered in with 


ir r rise :: men 




ers and ±e rooming 01 cannon. 


C n Fee ma n- r_ iPm near Manzanillo. Bartolome 
Maso :r:c'i ~ e: the independence of Cuba. The 
eastern pomcn of are Aland a: once rose in revolt 
against Sramsh mie and rhus mas inaugurated a re- 
deFicn which rermmared in Cuba’s separation from 


rad ire origin. ”-’e snide: throogfc Lenrrai Park, 
visiter. 1 crear market near me mK. arc watched 
me recale. subdued. 1 thought. :n mem manner of 
celebrating; sc important an event, owing perhaps to 
me ran mar me American nrvemrr.enr —ms m ccri¬ 
me 1 cf me island and to the rncertainty existing in 

There were baseball games hrrse races and cock- 
rgirrs. These lamer are no longer allowed in Ha¬ 
vana. as me Amman:erro cr C:m Council. issued 
an rrder which reek enecr ~u 3y 1 :00c. prohibiting 
mis snort Cuck-nahring is as dear to me Cuban 


• f /“ t . • * . t r* • t t 

ream as r m-rgrrmg is rr me cramsr arc as pnze- 
:c s rr me -American. The insular Spaniard 


new 


. _ - - 




; — r 


it rrr menerm zriOKe ar :ra: 


ns rave me pas- 
le PIiLitarv Gov- 































OF HAVANA AND CUBA 131 

ernor of the island, on October io, 1899, issued an 
order prohibiting bull-fighting under a penalty of 
$500 for its violation. It is not thought that the 
Cubans will revive the sport. 

Cock-fights are held every Sunday at Marianao. 
The first bull-ring in Havana was built in 1796; but 
the first bull-fight there took place at the Plaza 
Publica, in 1759, i n honor of King Charles III. 
About three years ago the large bull-ring in Havana 
was burned. There is one at Regia, across the har¬ 
bor, which holds about four thousand people. 

We went to Central Park towards evening. A 
dozen children were romping and playing ring- 
around-a-rosy about the pedestal on which had 
rested the statue of Isabella II. We were sitting in 
iron chairs watching the children and the people, 
when a park officer came and collected a medio real. 
five cents, for each chair. 

Later in the evening there were fireworks. The 
park and the city around were brilliantly illumi¬ 
nated. There was an immense crowd, and carriages 
blocked the streets enclosing this plaza. 

Roman candles were fired, rockets shot skyward, 
pinwheels revolved, and some set-pieces had been 
touched off, when we felt a few drops of rain. The 
sky had become entirely overcast. We started for 
our hotel a block distant. A thick mist came down. 


132 Norton’s complete hand-book 

and we were glad to reach the shelter of the Payret 
Theater and Pasaje arcades. 

The air grew cool, and it seemed as though we 
were to have a drizzling rain. But soon the crash of 
thunder and the flashes of lightning became inces¬ 
sant. The rain came down almost in bucketfuls. 

_ s 

The wind blew with violence. We were not very 
much disturbed by the storm, which lasted the 
greater part of the night, as our room opened upon 
the arcade running through the central part of the 
hotel from front to rear. Such was Independence 
Day in Havana, February 24, 1900, and such its 
ending. 




Interior of Las Mercedes Church 
















OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


133 


THE CARNIVAL. 

The next morning it was quite cool. I found a 
light overcoat none too warm on the street. Ac¬ 
cording to the Havana Journal, Monday, February 
26, 1900, the coldest day of the winter in Havana 
was Sunday, January 14, and the next coldest day 
was Sunday, February 25. The thermometer, as re¬ 
ported by the United States weather bureau, regis¬ 
tered on the latter day 55 0 above zero. I saw a few 
ladies wearing fur capes that day. 

The rainfall of the previous night was .42 inches 
and the wind blew at the rate of 30 miles an hour. 
The thermometer rarely goes below 55 0 , and almost 
never goes higher than 90°, in Havana. The mean 
annual temperature is 78° for the hottest month and 
70° for the coldest. The atmospheric humidity 
averages something over 80 per cent at all seasons. 
There are rarely more than twenty rainy days in 
any month, and the average is from three to ten 
days. 

As we were to leave Havana on the following 
day, we must procure health-certificates within 
twenty-four hours of our departure, and as I had 
been told when I selected our stateroom on the 
steamer a few days before, that the best time to ob¬ 
tain the certificates would be early on Sunday, we 


134 Norton’s complete hand-book 

went to the Health Office, 22 Mercadares street, 
that morning. We were there before any others on 
like mission came in, and as we were both able to 
show vaccination scars, we soon had the necessary 
documents. A health certificate from the author¬ 
ities of Havana is as complete an identification of 
its possessor as could possibly be desired. 

To expiate the sin of which we had just been 
guilty, we drove to Las Mercedes Church, corner of 
Cuba and Merced streets, and heard mass. This is 
the richest and most aristocratic church on the 
island. Its exterior is handsome. A tower rises 
from its roof, three stories in height. The last story 
is surmounted by a dome supporting a belfry. The 
church was built in 1746. 

Its interior far surpasses any intimation of beauty 
gained from its outward appearance. A cupola rises 
over the place where the nave and the transept in¬ 
tersect and another over a chapel in the rear. The 
grand altar is wonderfully elaborate, with its taber¬ 
nacle and dome, missal stand, crosses, candlesticks, 
and other usual accompaniments. There are fine oil 
paintings; that of the “Last Supper” is considered 
perfect. The statue of the Virgin on the altar is 
adorned with jewels valued at $70,000. There are 
handsome frescoes and finely carved figures on the 
walls. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


135 


Confessionals of mahogany are ranged along side 
the walls in various parts of the church. There are 
several chapels. Fine statues on brackets and in 
niches add to the beauties of the interior. A marble 
floor of variegated pattern, foliage and scroll-work, 
is one of the most noticeable features of this edifice. 
Its pews are cane-bottomed chairs ranged in rows. 

The music at mass was exceedingly fine, the ser¬ 
vice impressive, and, though this is the most aris¬ 
tocratic church in Cuba, many communicants who 
evidently did not belong to the wealthy class were 
in attendance. 

After returning from church to our hotel, we took 
a walk north through Parque Central, and on to the 
Spanish Casino, which faces the Prado. Seeing per¬ 
sons engaged in decorating the interior with flags 
and green boughs, we stepped inside, and were po¬ 
litely asked if we would like to go through the club 
rooms. We were shown about this splendid place. 
The corridor, with its polished marble shafts, its 
magnificent chandeliers, its mirrors, and its numer¬ 
ous fine portraits of illustrious Spaniards, is worth 
going a long way to see. 

In the afternoon we went to that part of the Prado 
extending from Central Park to La Punta, about a 
mile in length, to see the driving. We strolled 
down to San Lazaro Beach, where the break- 


136 NORTON’S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

ers were rolling far upon shore, and watched the 
spray breaking over Morro Castle. The sea was 
running high from the effects of the storm of the 
previous night. We went back to the Prado, where 
large numbers of people were assembling. It was 
the first day of the carnival season. Three days are 
given over to all sorts of merrymaking. 

This portion of the Prado consists of a central 
promenade, perhaps a hundred feet wide and several 
feet high, which is enclosed within a retaining wall. 
Steps lead up to the promenade. Just within the 
retaining wall, is a row of Spanish laurel trees on 
each side of this grand walk. The promenade is 
bordered by a fine driveway, probably fifty feet in 
width. Along the broad top of the wall, iron chairs 
were placed for those who wished to watch at their 
ease the driving. For these seats a real, or ten cents 
Spanish silver, was paid. 

Soon carriages and vehicles of various sorts be¬ 
gan to come into the Prado from all directions. 
Their occupants wore masks of different patterns, 
some handsome and some grotesque. The maskers 
generally wore bright-colored costumes. There 
were some splendid equipages, and there was one 
low yellow-painted automobile in the procession. 
There were many horseback riders, whose horses, 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 137 

* 

gaily caparisoned, had their tails braided and fast¬ 
ened to the saddles with ribbons. 

Soon the riding and driving became fast and furi¬ 
ous. Vehicles and horsemen circled round and 
round the promenade, while on the latter, groups of 
boys in masks and clownish costumes went up and 
down, turning handsprings and performing other 
acrobatic feats. Streams of people walked back and 
forth chatting gaily and enjoying themselves in an 
unrestrained manner. 

The sidewalks, balconies, windows, and even the 
roofs .of the buildings along the Prado were filled 
with spectators. Some of them participated in the 
gaieties by throwing paper streamers and confetti, 
but this was indulged in rather sparingly, as the 
Civil Governor of Havana, Senor Nunez, had issued, 
some time before, a proclamation restricting the 
people to the hours between six o’clock in the morn¬ 
ing and six o’clock in the evening for masking on 
the streets, and had prohibited the throwing of any 
material which might inflict bodily harm or soil gar¬ 
ments. In former days people had sometimes been 
injured, and their clothes had been ruined by being 
covered with flour and other substances thrown in 
merriment. Several bands played along the Prado. 
In the evening there were mask-balls at the theaters 
and clubs. 


' 3 « 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


HOTELS. 

The Pasaje.—This hotel is on the east side of 
Parque de Isabel La Catolica, and is only half a 
block south of Central Park. The Payret theater ad¬ 
joins it on the north. An arcade or central passage 
way extends from the front of the building to the 
rear on Zulueta street, and from this passage-way, 
pasaje, the hotel takes its name. It is the largest 
hotel on the island, is four stories high and has one 
hundred and fifty rooms. It was erected in 1871 and 
is the only building in the city constructed strictly 
for hotel purposes. The first story is 25 feet in 
height, the second story, 10 feet and the third and 
fourth stories are 20 feet each, in height. 

The upper story has recently been added, and is in 
the oriental style of architecture, its ornamentation 
being exquisite. It has fifteen rooms with baths. 
The rooms are large, double rooms all en suite, and 
are lighted by electricity. 

It has an elevator, an electric light plant and all 
the modern improvements. It is built of limestone 
and granite and its floors are all of marble and mo¬ 
saic. It is in the very heart of the city, and from 
its roof can probably be obtained a finer view of 
Havana and the surrounding scenery than from any 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


139 


other place. The well-known and accomplished in¬ 
terpreters, Senors Alvarez and Hurtado represent 
the hotel at the steamer landings. 

This house has for many years been the favorite 
hotel for Americans. Here General Grant, General 
Sherman, Ex-President Cleveland, William K. Van¬ 
derbilt, the Count of Paris, and many other famous 
persons, have made their temporary homes while 
in Havana. 

The Inglaterra.—This fine and well-known hotel 
is on the west side of the Prado, and fronts Central 
Park. Across San Rafael street, on the south, is the 
Tacon theater. The Inglaterra is three stories in 
height. A fine colonnade extends around the two 
sides of the building fronting on the Prado and 
San Rafael street.. The pillars are very massive. 
It has about eighty rooms. This is also a favorite 
hotel for Americans, but does not, like the Pasaje 
and several other hotels, employ any English- 
speaking help. 

The Telegrafo.—Adjoining the Inglaterra on the 
north, the Telegrafo faces Central Park, and some 
of its rooms look out on San Miguel street. Its lo¬ 
cation could hardly be better. It is a two-story 
building, and its apartments are furnished in the 
latest style. Its table is excellent, and its help all 
speak the English language. It can accommodate 


140 Norton’s complete hand-book 

about one hundred and fifty people. Its interpreters 
meet passengers at the steamers. 

The Mascotte.—This is a Spanish hotel, but is 
frequently patronized by Americans. It fronts the 
harbor at No. 35 Officios street, and is rather too far 
from the parks, theaters and other places of amuse¬ 
ments, to suit many visitors. Its rooms are large 
and fine, and its grounds very handsome. It ac¬ 
commodates about two hundred people. 

The Louvre.—This is a finely furnished hotel at 
the corner of San Rafael and Consulado streets, and 
is run on the European plan. 

The prices of these hotels, during the winter sea¬ 
son, are from $3.50 to $5 a day, American money. 

La Perla de Cuba, La Isla de Cuba, American 
plan, No. 45 Monte street; La Francia, The Wash¬ 
ington, American plan, Prado near Central Park; 
The United States, American plan, Amistad and 
Dragones streets; Hotel Thrower, No. 24 O’Reilly 
street, American plan; The Florida, American plan, 
No. 28 Obispo street; and the Roma, American plan, 
No. 16 Monseratte street, will each accommodate 
from one hundred to two hundred persons. Their 
charges are from $1.50 to $2 a day in Spanish gold, 
except that the American hotels just named make 
their prices in American money. 

There are some excellent restaurants and good 



Main Parlor, Hotel Pasaje, Havana. 



Dining Room, Pasaje Hotel, Havana. 















142 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


NEWSPAPERS. 

There are more than one hundred newspapers, 
daily and weekly, in Havana. As a general thing, it 
may be said that these papers hardly conform to the 
American idea of newspaper enterprise. The fol¬ 
lowing are the more important papers. 

El Nuevo Pais.—This was the official organ of 
the late Autonomist party. Its editor is Senor Ri¬ 
cardo Delmonte, one of the strongest writers on 
the island. It has the support of men like Senors 
Montoro, Govin, Varona and other well-known 
Cubans. It has about 10,000 subscribers. 

El Diario de la Marina.—This is one of the oldest 
newspapers in the island. It is the Spanish liberal 
organ, and was the official paper of the late Spanish 
Government. It has always been on the side of 
good order, and has refrained from the radical views 
which some other papers have often advanced, fre¬ 
quently thereby leading the masses to riot and crime. 
It has about 20,000 subscribers. Its editor is Senor 
Nicolas Rivero. 

La Lucha.—This paper is in some respects the 
most important one in Cuba. It is supposed to be 
the best dispenser of news. It is an evening journal. 
Two pages of each issue are printed in the English 
language. Its circulation is very large. In politics, 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


143 


it supports the Cuban National party, but is liberal 
in tone. Senor Antonio San Miguel is the editor, 
Mr. E. W. Guyol having charge of the part in 
English. 

La Discusion.—This is an important journal. It 
is the official organ of the Republican or radical 
party. It has among its supporters men like Senor 
Juan Gualberto Gomez, General Sanguilly, and 
others of that class. Its editor and owner is Senor 
Manuel M. Coronado. 

La Nacion.—This paper is the official organ of 
the Union Democratic party. Three columns of 
each issue are printed in English. General Enrique 
Collazo, one of the ablest writers in Cuba, is its 
editor. 

El Figaro.—This is a weekly illustrated journal, 
and is ably conducted. Senor Manuel Pichardo, 
the editor, is a gentleman of wide culture, and a 
facile writer. 

The Havana Post.—This is the only American 
daily newspaper on the island. It is a wide-awake 
journal. Its editorials, written by Dr. Charles E. 
Fisher, formerly of Chicago, are specimens of vig¬ 
orous English. It is intensely American. It suc¬ 
ceeded to the Havana Journal and the Havana Her¬ 
ald, American newspapers published in Havana for 
nearly a year after the American occupation began. 


144 NORTON’S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

The circulation of the Post is rapidly increasing. 
Senor Casanova, a Cuban, and Mr. Ernest Lee 
Conant, an American, are the proprietors. Both 
are gentlemen of much ability. 

Another paper of much interest to Americans is 
“The Cuban Financier and Havana Advertiser,” 
published weekly at 76-78 Cuba street, in both Eng¬ 
lish and Spanish. This paper is specially devoted 
to matters of interest to the tourist and settler, im¬ 
migrant and investor. It was established in Octo¬ 
ber, 1898, just previous to the change of flag in 
Havana, and is edited by Mr. George Eugene Bry¬ 
son, former chief of the New York Plerald’s Latin- 
American bureau at Panama, and an expert upon 
Cuban, Central and South American affairs. 

Mr. Bryson is also editor and proprietor of “The 
Cuba Immigrant,” a fortnightly review of Cuban 
matters of interest to the tourist and settler; office 
76-78 Cuba street, Havana. It is a five-column 
folio. This publication is approved by the mili¬ 
tary government of Cuba, and by the Secretary of 
Agriculture and Superintendent of Immigration for 
Cuba. 

Other papers which may be mentioned are “La 
Patria,” “El Cubano,” “Avisador Commercial,” 
“Commercial Journal,” “El Commercio,” the re¬ 
tailers’ organ, and “Union Espanola.” 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


145 


CIGAR FACTORIES. 

Havana is known the world over as containing the 
largest cigar and cigarette manufactories in exist¬ 
ence. This industry is, by all odds, the most im¬ 
portant in the city. Of the 120 large factories, 
without taking into consideration numerous small 
ones, only a few will be mentioned. 

One of the largest factories is that of La Corona, 
owned by an English syndicate. It is a fine four 
story building, and stands at the corner of Reina 
and Amistad streets, facing Colon Park. It pos¬ 
sesses historical interest. 

From i860 to 1868 it was the palace of Miguel de 
Aldama, a Cuban hero who was proclaimed Presi¬ 
dent of the Republic, by the Cuban convention, in 
1868. A Spanish friend informed him that the 
Spanish Volunteers were about to attack the palace 
and slay him and his family. One night in Novem¬ 
ber, 1868, he fled with his family and took steamer 
for New York, where he died six years later. The 
Volunteers, finding the palace deserted, broke the 
great mirrors and destroyed the fine paintings in the 
palace, together with furniture valued at $100,000. 
Beautiful paintings are still to be seen on its ceilings, 
and its floors are of the richest marbles. 

The factory employs about 450 cigarmakers, and 


146 Norton’s complete hand-book 

about 200 young ladies for the cigarette depart¬ 
ments. The English syndicate purchased the plant 
last year for $800,000. 

This syndicate is known as the Henry Clay & 
Bock & Company, Limited. It has a paid up capital 
of $7,000,000, and controls thirteen cigar factories 
and an equal number of cigarette factories. The 
general offices and sample rooms of the company are 
at the corner of O’Reilly and Cuba streets, Havana. 

There is an American syndicate, known as the 
Havana Commercial Company, with a capital stock 
of $20,000,000. This company controls eleven cigar 
factories, which it purchased at a cost of $3,870,000. 

The handsomest and best cigar factory building 
on the island, is owned by Calixto Lopez & Co. 
It occupies a square, is at the corner of Zulueta and 
Gloria streets, and faces the Arsenal. It is a stone 
building and was erected in 1888. The brands of 
this firm date back for fifty years. They employ 
about 500 cigarmakers. Their cigars are sold all 
over the world. 

They have a cigarette factory attached to the cigar 
factory employing about 200 young women. Their 
cigarettes are among the best, as the tobacco used in 
them is the clippings from the Vuelta Aba jo dis¬ 
trict. 

They own two large tobacco farms in the Vuelta 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


147 


Abajo district. They are also wholesale tobacco 
dealers. They were offered $650,000 by each of 
the two trusts already named, but refused to sell. 
Among their most celebrated brands are those 
known as El Eden and Flor de C. Lopez. 

La Escepcion factory of Jose Gener, maker of the 
celebrated brand of Hoyo de Monterey, is situated 
at the corner of Zulueta and Reina streets. It has 
four floors, employs about 550 cigarmakers and 
about 100 cigarettemakers in its cigarette depart¬ 
ment. 

Another great firm is Suarez Murias and Com¬ 
pany, manufacturers of the celebrated brand of La 
Flor de Suarez Murias Co. Their building was 
originally the palace of Marques de Villalba, No. 
2 Ejido street. Later, and until recently, it was the 
Spanish Casino, and afterwards the Senate and Con¬ 
gress building during the Autonomist regime. Its 
interior finish is of marble and fine mosaics. 

Franklin Mathews, in his “ New-Born Cuba,” tells 
of an admirable custom which has been in vogue for 
many years among the larger cigar factories of Ha¬ 
vana. Twice a day a person, chosen because of his 
fitness, reads selections from the standard works 
of fiction, history, biography, travel, science, and so 
forth, to the employes of the factory. About half 
an hour is thus spent at each session. 


148 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


EDUCATIONAL, FINANCIAL, ETC. 

At the head of the educational system of Cuba 
stands the University of Havana, Universidad de 
la Habana. It is located in the convent building of 
San Domingo, on Obispo and Mercaderes streets. 
The cloisters and quadrangles of the building, more 
than three centuries old, are still there. 

The University has five faculties: The Faculty of 
Sciences, of Philosophy and Belles-Lettres, of Phar¬ 
macy, of Medicine and of Law. Including a pre¬ 
paratory period of two years, it requires a period of 
six years to obtain the degree of licentiate, or bach¬ 
elor of arts, from the University. Its courses of 
study are very numerous and comprehensive. In 
order to follow the notarial profession, a course of 
four years in law, political economy, treasury insti¬ 
tutions, commercial law, and theory and practice in 
the preparation of public documents, is required. 
As many as two thousand students have attended 
the University in some years. 

Havana has, also, a school of Painting and Sculp¬ 
ture, Escuela de Pint lira y Escultura, an Economical 
Society, Sociedad Economica, and a Public Library, 
Bibleoteca , all located in a building on Dragones 
street, between Rayo and San Nicolas streets. The 




ZSI ule Team—Tandem. 



Manner of Yoking Oxen—Tobacco Poles. 



Fodder Vender, Havana. 
















OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


149 


Conservatorio de Musica, or Conservatory of Music, 
is on Dragones street, immediately east of the build¬ 
ing just mentioned. There is a Technical School 
of Arts and Trades, No. 32 Empedrado street. 

The branches usually taught in the public schools 
of the United States, are taught in the public schools 
of Cuba. The city of Havana has 201 school rooms. 
In 1899 there were in Havana 42,111 children un¬ 
der ten years of age of whom 9,981 attended school; 
of those over ten years 10,792 attended. The total 
number of those who attended school last year was 
20,673, or 33 P er cent of 62,833, the total number of 
children in Havana between the ages of five and 
seventeen years. There are about 6,000 children in 
the city who attend private schools. 

The North Amercian Trust Company of New 
York City, 27 Cuba street, is the fiscal agent of the 
United States Government in Cuba. This company 
is putting up a five-story office building at Officios, 
Lamparilla and Baratillo streets. The building will 
have a very large entrance, and a court, with a foun¬ 
tain and flowers. There are to be safe-deposit and 
savings-bank departments. 

Other leading banking houses are: J. Balcells, 43 
Cuba street; J. A. Bances, 21 Obispo street; N. Get- 
als, 108 Aguiar street; Zaldo & Co., 76 Cuba street; 
G. Lawton Childs & Co., 22 Mercaderes street; L. 


150 Norton’s complete iiand-book 

• 

Ruiz & Co., 8 O’Reilly street, and H. Upman & Co., 
3 Amargura street. The Spanish Bank of the 
Island of Cuba is located at 81 Aguiar street. This 
is a very old and wealthy institution. 

The Bar Association of Havana numbers five 
hundred members, having its headquarters at 2 Mer- 
caderes street. 

The leading express companies of Havana are: 
The Southern Express Company, Pan American 
Express Company, and the Wells-Fargo and Adams 
Express Companies. 

A Spanish-American Company owns the gas 
works. The chief office of this company is in New 
York. The same company owns an extensive elec¬ 
tric light plant. Both are situated near the harbor 
at Tallapiedra and Florida streets. 

There are three ice plants and one brewery in 
the city. There is a very good telephone system, 
the Red Telefonica. Its central station is at 5 
O’Reilly street. 

Havana has a well-drilled, efficient police force of 
about 1,000 men, composed entirely of Cubans. 
This force was organized early in 1899, by John 
McCullagh, ex-chief of police of New York City, 
assisted by Col. Geo. M. Moulton, of Chicago. Prior 
to this time, there were 300 municipal police, ap¬ 
pointed by the City Council, to enforce the city or- 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 151 

dinances; 300 government police, appointed by 
authorities of the province, and 1,200, belonging to 
the or den publico, who were really soldiers. 1 

These policemen, as a general rule, are neither so 
tall nor so heavy as the average American police¬ 
man. Their uniform and equipment are very similar 
to those of the police in the American cities. The 
police headquarters are at 82 San Isidro street. 

The Fire Department of Havana consists of two 
branches, the Municipal, and the Commercial. The 
former is partly supported at public expense. The 
latter, with the exception of the drivers and the en¬ 
gineers, who are paid by private contributions, re¬ 
ceive nothing for their services. The department 
has five first-class fire-engines. There are 78 alarm 
stations and 356 fire plugs throughout the city. The 
headquarters of the Bomberos Municipales, Munici¬ 
pal Firemen, are at Zulueta and Apodeca streets, 
those of the Bomberos del Commercio , Commercial 
Firemen, front Parque Central, at the corner of the 
Prado and San Jose street. Many of the best citi¬ 
zens belong to the Commercial branch. The mem¬ 
bers of the latter must be at least twenty-one years 
of age and have to furnish their own uniforms. 
Many heroic deeds are performed by them, and Ha¬ 
vana is very proud of her firemen. 


1 Franklin Mathews, “The New-Born Cuba,” 380. 



154 Norton's complete hand-book 

life was spent in Paris during the brilliant days of 
the Second Empire. She was a welcome visitor at 
the Tuilleries and at Compiegne, while the enter¬ 
tainments given at her mansion on the Champs 
Ely sees were the sensation of all Paris. Napoleon 
III and the Empress Eugenie were often her guests. 

The ten-years war for independence, 1868-1878, 
considerably reduced Count Fernandina’s fortune. 
He and the Countess returned to Havana, and lived 
at their beautiful villa in the Cerro. The Calzada 
del Cerro passes by this estate, which is so situated 
as to command a splendid view of Havana and the 
Gulf. The house was furnished with luxurious 
taste. Its marble floors, frescoed walls and painted 
ceilings, its ample grounds, with a garden of tropical 
flowers and plants, made this home one of the 
finest, if not the finest, on the island. 

Here the Countess held grand levees, gave great 
balls and entertained in a style not excelled, and 
perhaps, not equaled anywhere else in the world. 
Many others, like the Marques Ploclamacion, the 
Marquise of Balboa and the Marquise of O’Reilly, 
then figured prominently in society. But those days 
are gone. Still, Cuban society, like everything else 
Cuban, seems to have great recuperative powers, 
and there are signs of a revival of something like 
the old splendor. Cubans, Spaniards and Ameri- 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 155 

cans mingle together, sometimes, in the social gath¬ 
erings of the clay. 

In the other large cities of Cuba, society exhibited 
much the same characteristics found in that of the 
capital. Wealth and luxury, elegance and taste, 
were everywhere seen. Among the rich planters 
and country gentlemen, there was considerable so¬ 
cial intercourse. 

The hospitality of Cubans has become almost 
proverbial. To admire in a special manner an article 
belonging to one’s host, is immediately to have it 
offered as a gift. To refuse the present would 
give offense. To offer a Cuban gentleman money 
by way of reimbursement for any outlay made by 
him in doing a favor, or as compensation for time 
and trouble spent in the matter, would be regarded 
by him as an insult. 

The opera is the principal society event during 
the winter season in Havana. The boxes are nearly 
all owned by the prominent families, who purchased 
them over fifty years ago when the Tacon theater 
was built. These boxes have passed from father 
to son, as a sort of heirloom. 

THE CUBAN LADY. 

There is a fascination about the word " senorita” 
that is irresistible. It sums up, to most persons, all 


156 Norton’s complete hand-book 

that is coquettish, graceful and beautiful in woman. 
It pictures to the imagination a bewitching face, 
half-hidden behind a fan of exquisite pattern, eyes 
that sparkle like jewels or melt in tenderness, at 
their owner s will, a form whose every movement 
is grace itself, dainty feet in bespangled slippers, a 
hand perfect in its proportions, and dark lustrous 
tresses falling over fair shoulders. Women of the 
Spanish race, the world over, have been noted for 
their beauty, and those of Cuba are no exception to 
the rule. 

But not all senoritas are beautiful; some are com¬ 
monplace in appearance, and a few, a very few, are 
positively homely. As the senorita grows into the 
senora she, not unnaturally, loses that sylph-like 
quality of form that distinguished her as a senorita. 
The Cuban matron, however, retains her good looks 
much longer than some writers on the subject would 
lead one to suppose. 

A young lady must never appear alone in public. 
Her mother, or a chaperon, always accompanies her 
on a drive, or when promenading in the park or on 
the paseo. 

The habit of powdering the face is very common, 
and is often carried to excess. The women of the 
higher class dress in good taste. I was surprised 
at the number of dark colored and black costumes 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


157 


worn by the ladies in Havana, as I had supposed, 
from what I had read, that Cuban ladies wore only 
the most gaudy colors. Many ladies, especially the 
younger ones, were dressed in white and some were 
seen in bright-hued toilets. One of the most com¬ 
mon articles of dress is the mantilla of lace or other 
similar material. 

Ladies, in many instances, ride in their carriages 
late in the afternoon, and promenade in the park or 
along the paseo, without any covering upon their 
heads. Nature supplies the Cuban woman with a 
luxuriant growth of hair, which she arranges in 
becoming fashion. At home she attires herself in 
thin white or light colored fabrics, as most com¬ 
fortable and suitable to her surroundings. 

The Cuban woman among the wealthier and well 
to-do classes, learns to embroider and becomes 
skilled in fancy-work. She spends her time at home 
in reading, in light sewing, and often in a listless 
manner. After the heavy breakfast, or midday meal, 
comes the siesta, and usually not until about five 
o’clock in the afternoon, does she leave the cool 
court-yard with its fountain and its flowers, for the 
drive along the fine avenues and the fashionable 
shopping streets. 

In Havana, however, it is a common thing to see, 

in the early part of the day, a row of carriages on 

11 


158 Norton’s complete hand-book 

either side of Calzada de la Reina, each equipage 
with one or more fair occupants, examining and 
purchasing, without the inconvenience of alighting 
and entering the store, such articles as necessity or 
fancy may dictate. 

The Cuban lady, it is said, smokes cigarettes and 
cigars, the latter much less frequently than the 
former. 1 The mother is solicitous of her children’s 
welfare, and is at home with them, supervising in 
various particulars, their education, their manners 
and their morals, while the father passes much of his 
time, except the few hours devoted to business, at 
the club. 

In the homes of wealthy country gentlemen, there 
is such modification of the routine of life in the city 
as would naturally be expected from the difference 
of environment, and, on the whole, there is more do¬ 
mesticity in the country than in the city among the 
educated and wealthy. 

THE CUBAN GENTLEMAN. 

The life of a Cuban gentleman is one of ease. He 

* 

rises at ten o’clock, takes his bath and is served 
with a cup of coffee. After this he has breakfast. 

1 Since writing this sentence I have been informed by a 
Cuban gentleman, who certainly should be good author¬ 
ity, that a “Cuban lady does not smoke,” but that a few 
“old women do.” 




OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


159 


He goes to his office about one o’clock in the after¬ 
noon, and his work is finished at three. He returns 
home, takes his siesta, and then prepares for dinner 
and the opera or the dance. 

Fencing is one of the chief points of a man’s 
education. Young men and old spend from two to 
four hours each day practicing with the foils. Many 
are masters of the fencing art. A duel is rarely 
fought in Cuba, without at least one of the princi¬ 
pals being seriously hurt. 

One of the largest fencing classes is held at the 
Union Club, and it was at this place that a celebrated 
French fencing master was defeated by several Ha¬ 
vana swordsmen. 

Cubans never walk, if they can help it, a fact 
which accounts for their rather ungraceful gait. 
Very few ladies ride horseback in Havana. The re¬ 
verse is true of the men, who are expert horsemen. 
The carriages and liveries are Parisian, English 
or American. 


CUBAN COURTSHIP. 

After a young lady becomes engaged, she no 
longer attends social functions, but remains at 
home, where every evening she receives her future 
husband, who is expected to let no day pass with¬ 
out a visit to the prospective bride. The young 


i6o 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


couple are never left alone. As a rule, engage¬ 
ments are very long, covering a period of from two 
to six years and rarely less than one year. 

The first steps in a love affair are carried on se¬ 
cretly, in spite of the watchfulness of the mother 
or of the duena of the girl. Once engaged, the be¬ 
havior of the lovers betrays the fact to their friends, 
as from that time forward, they conduct themselves 
after the conventional manner of betrothed couples. 

Weddings invariably occur at night. After mar¬ 
riage a young couple rarely go to balls or dinners, 
until one or two months have elapsed. The jilting 
of a young lady by her lover, is a thing almost un¬ 
known in Havana. Only an unexceptionable ex¬ 
cuse, in such a case, would save the young man 
from dire punishment at the hands of an irate father, 
brother or cousin. 1 

ijp.T 

RESIDENCES AND BUILDINGS. 


# 

Many of the fine residences are over stores, espe¬ 
cially on such streets as the Prado and Calzada de la 


1 It may not be out of place to remark here that a Span¬ 
ish-born son or daughter takes the names of both pa¬ 
rents in families of any consequence. Thus: Salvador 
Cisneros y Betancourt signifies that the name of Sal¬ 
vador’s father is Cisneros and that his mother’s maiden 
name was Betancourt. The y, pronounced ee, is the con¬ 
junction “and” in English. It takes the place of the 
hyphen in English, to designate two surnames. 




OF HAVANA AND CUBA l6l 

Reina. One sees through the great open doors 
courts within, flowers, perhaps fountains, and stair¬ 
cases leading to the upper stories. Within these 
homes evidences of luxury and refinement present 
themselves on every hand,—statuary, costly paint¬ 
ings, books and all that a cultivated taste could de¬ 
sire. The rooms are large, the floors of marble or 
tile. In the poorer quarters of the city, the people 
are huddled together in small rooms, and live under 
the most unsanitary conditions. Havana is with¬ 
out any proper system of sewers. It is probable, 
however, that this greatest defect of the city will 
be remedied within a reasonable time. In many 
cases, even in the homes of the wealthy, the stables, 
with horses, cows, and poultry, adjoin the living 
rooms. 

In the less thickly populated portions of the city, 
in the smaller places and in the country, the homes 
of the wealthy are often surrounded by spacious 
grounds, with gardens, flowers and trees. A patio, 
or court yard, with its fountain and flowers, sur¬ 
rounded by a quadrangular porch, offers a pleasant 
retreat from a tropical sun. Piazzas extend along 
the front and sides or rear of the residence, accord¬ 
ing to its situation. These are often protected from 
the sun by canvas or shutter awnings. The poor live 
in huts thatched with palm leaves. 


162 


Norton's complete hand-book 


The first story of the buildings in the business 
part of the city is usually very high, thirty feet 
being a not uncommon height. Many buildings have 
porticos, and colonnades surround some. In the 
narrow streets of the old portion, these are not com¬ 
mon. There are massive double doors to each store, 
very high, and windows without glass, on each side 
of the doorway, often of the length of the door. The 
shutters are thrown open during the day, but an 
iron grating prevents entrance through the win¬ 
dows. The buildings are of stone or stucco, painted 
in bright colors, white or yellow, with blue, yellow, 
or red stripes on the panels of doors, posts, and por¬ 
tions of the front wall. 

LIFE IN A GREAT HOTEL. 

Our room was on the third floor of the Pasaje 
Hotel. It opened upon a stone balcony which ran 
around the court. Standing on this balcony we 
could look down into the arcade, passage-way, or 
pasaje, extending through the central portion of the 
hotel, from the Prado in front to Zulueta street in 
the rear. There were tables in the arcade, at which 
men sat, drank, smoked cigars and discussed the 
questions of the day. 

Across the arcade, there were the barberia, or bar¬ 
ber-shop, the cigar store, etc., and the “American 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 163 

Exchange in Havana,’’ where the tourist could ob¬ 
tain all sorts of information about hotels, boarding 
houses, and other matters of interest, and from 
which place excursion parties to various points were 
organized. 

Our room was twenty feet high, with great open 
rafters of mahogany. There were two brass bed¬ 
steads, over each of which was the inevitable canopy 
of mosquito netting, a large, marble-top dresser, a 
wardrobe, a marble-top stand, two rocking-chairs 
and two other chairs, a commode and a rug. The 
floors throughout the Pasaje are marble. The furni¬ 
ture was all in good condition and made of ma¬ 
hogany. 

The large, double door was probably sixteen feet 
high, with a transom reaching well toward the ceil¬ 
ing. Opposite the door was the great double win¬ 
dow, as large as the door, opening out upon the 
balcony. On the outside were heavy wooden shut¬ 
ters, just within, great wooden frames for each 
half of the window, in which were openings, but 
no glass, and lastly an inside set of heavy shutters. 
The window frames and shutters were fastened by 
bolting at top and bottom and a latch in the middle, 
the door by bolting one half, locking the other and 
sliding a bolt across both. We never felt the slight- 


164 NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

est insecurity. Blue was the prevailing color in our 
room. 

There was a sort of sub hotel-office on the third 
floor, where two or three young men sat at a table, 
looked after the interests of the hotel on the upper 
floors, answered questions asked by hotel guests and 
made themselves useful in many other ways. One 
of them, Joseph Milliken, a young man of twenty- 
two, but who seemed not more than sixteen or 
eighteen because of his small stature, was excep¬ 
tionally courteous, and spoke English fluently, hav¬ 
ing lived in Key West all his life until he went into 
the employ of the hotel, a year and a half prior to 
our visit. He was a member of the Commercial or 
Volunteer branch of the fire department, and was 
very proud of the fact. We immediately became 
good friends. 

On the same floor, in front, and separated from 
each other by a broad hall, are two parlors, first and 
second, looking out upon rows of laurel trees lining 
the Prado. Great mirrors and pier glasses are 
placed short distances apart all round the rooms and 
beautiful curtains drape windows and doorways. 
Near the rear wall of the first parlor, at right angles 
to it, were placed two rows of rocking-chairs, four 
or five in each row, the two rows facing each other, 
with a stand in the center. This is an arrangement 



Reception Room, Pasaje Hotel, Havana. 



Typical Bedroom, Pasaje Hotel, Havana. 
























OF HAVANA AND CUBA 165 

seen in all Cuban homes. In the other parlor the ar¬ 
rangement was similar. 

On the first floor in front, is the large dining room, 
with its ceiling twenty-five feet above the marble 
pavement. The office is at one side, but not separ¬ 
ated in any way from the dining room. The waiters 
were, I think, all or nearly all, Spaniards, some of 
whom spoke English well, some indifferently, and 
some, not at all. They were civil and obliging. 

The Cubans, except perhaps in some of the rural 
districts, eat three meals a day. The first is the 
light breakfast, the second or midday meal, is the 
heavy breakfast, and the third, corresponding to our 
dinner, is the supper. Coffee, rolls, bread and but¬ 
ter, and if desired, at the hotels, eggs, are served at 
the early breakfast. A great platter of oranges, 
invariably peeled, is always placed on the table at 
this meal. They are eaten from the fork. Cuban 
oranges are sweet and of good flavor, but full of 
seeds. At the other two meals several kinds of fish 
and of meats, together with vegetables, and a great 
variety of other articles, including many tropical 
fruits, are served at the hotels. No cake or pie ever 
appears on the hotel tables. 

At our first meal an “English ice cream” was 
served. It came in a glass and had, as I recollect, 
a greenish color. I thought it especially fine, and 


166 Norton’s complete hand-book 

perhaps that is the reason why it never again mad«r 
its appearance while we were at the Pasaje. One 
evening Mrs. Norton called my attention to some¬ 
thing on another table, in a glass, having somewhat 
the appearance of ice cream, with two pointed ob¬ 
jects, three or four inches long, points downward, 
projecting from it in opposite directions. I asked 
the waiter to bring us “some of that.” “That” 
turned out to be Guanaba ice cream, and was more 
like one of our ices than like the ice creams to which 
we are accustomed. The projecting objects were 
wafers, rolled to a point, hollow, and of most deli¬ 
cate flavor. 

There was one article of food of which all were 
loud in its praise. That was the bread. In its 
appearance it was something like our Vienna bread. 
Its positive qualities of goodness, if they existed, 
could hardly be described, but it was, after all, the 
most insidious article of diet I ever tasted. One 
could munch that dry bread by the hour and then 
want more. Perhaps this was due to the fact of its 
having been baked on banana leaves. The butter 
was of a golden color, but slightly strong in taste. 

My interest, however, centered in the fruits. I 
tried every kind that came upon the table, and liked 
them all. Many of them are rather sweet, and are 
not at first relished. Most visitors have to acquire 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


167 


a taste for those tropical fruits with which they are 
not familiar at the north. It was too early for pine¬ 
apples. 

There were the zapote, small, russet-colored and 
very sweet; the caimito, large, dark-skinned with a 
white pulp and also very sweet; the mamey, re¬ 
sembling a cantaloupe somewhat in its appearance, 
with a taste that reminded me a little of that of the 
squash; the mango, not unlike a California pear in 
its shape, and something like the pineapple in its 
taste, and others. 

There were, as a matter of course, a number of 
grumblers at the hotel. ‘'Garlic’’ was the burden 
of their song. This was the conventional com¬ 
plaint. They had come to Havana expecting to find 
fault with the food and cooking, and especially to 
declare that everything tasted of garlic. These 
people were in a perpetual state of starvation, were 
just on the eve of leaving the island and going back 
to the States where they could once more get de¬ 
cent food, but kept staying right along and eating 
three hearty meals every day. The food and the 
cooking were excellent. There was a great variety 
of wholesome dishes and a reasonable number of 
desserts and other delicacies. 

The Pasaje had one elevator, which ran from 
seven in the morning until one o’clock in the after- 


1 68 Norton’s complete hand-book 

noon, then took a siesta until four, from which time 
it served guests until half past ten in the evening. 

There were a number of people from various 
countries staying at the Pasaje. It is the favorite 
hotel for Americans. A fourth story had been added 
to the hotel, but it was not completed. This has 
since been finished, and fitted up in elegant style. 
From the top of the Pasaje, is obtained a finer view 
of the city than can be had anywhere else within 
the thickly populated portion. 

VEHICLES. 

Little further need be said about the fine turn¬ 
outs which may be seen in Havana. Prior to the 
last war, probably no other city could boast a 
greater number of elegant equipages. 

The street cars are drawn by mule teams, each 
with a leader. There are as yet no electric cars in 
Havana. It is probable, however, that they will be 
running in various parts of the city not later than 
January i, 1901. Omnibuses run to the different 
parts of the city. 

The most usual way of getting about the city is 
in hacks of the Victoria style, drawn by a single 
pony. The drivers are Spaniards, Canary Islanders, 
Cubans, and negroes. There are about 5,200 of 
these cabs, and out of all the cabmen only one, I was 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


169 

told, speaks English. As a consequence his services 
are in great demand by tourists. The ponies are 
fed only in the morning, and at night after their 
day’s work is done. They are hardy little animals 
and can get over the ground with surprising speed. 

One peculiarity about these little carriages is that 
the top extends forward so far as admirably to pro¬ 
tect from the sun and the rain, and in case of the 
latter, an oil-cloth stretched from the top to the 
high seat of the driver completely shuts in the 
occupant. There should be windows in the sides 
of the top, so that the passenger can view the sur¬ 
roundings. 

Carts are used for heavy teaming. Their wheels 
are from five to seven feet in diameter. These carts 
are drawn by oxen and by mules. I saw an ox team 
standing in front of the governor’s palace. Two, 
three, four, five, and even six mules, tandem, fre¬ 
quently draw a single cart through the narrow 
crowded streets of the city. Loads of lumber, hard¬ 
ware, green fodder, hay, wood, great timbers fifty 
feet in length, are at all times to be seen in the 
streets of Havana, drawn by oxen or by mules. 
There is a constant jingling of bells, fastened to the 
harness of the mule teams, as they move slowly 
along. I saw a few wagons on the streets. Some- 


170 Norton’s complete hand-book 

times the carts are drawn by a mule team and a 
leader. Women often drive these teams. 

Much has been said and written about the cruelty 
of Cubans toward animals. No doubt there is far 
too much practiced, but it is no worse in that respect 
in Havana than in any of the larger cities of the 
States. The method of yoking the oxen by con¬ 
fining their heads in wooden frames allows less 
freedom of movement than the method employed 
in the United States, and is the way oxen are yoked 
in a number of European countries. The yokes 
seemed to me to be lighter than those generally 
used in the States. 

STREET SCENES. 

Loads of fodder and hay are sometimes carried on 
the backs of mules, often only the head and tail of 
the animal being visible. The mule, with a pannier 
on each side, filled with milk cans and bottles, in 
Havana, becomes an animated milk wagon. The 
milkman rides or leads the mule, as is most con¬ 
venient in the delivery of the cans to his customers. 
L T ntil about the first of January of the present year, 
it was a common thing to see cows driven through 
the streets, stopping before the customer’s door 
where they were milked, then driven on, and the 
same operation repeated until all patrons had re- 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 171 

ceived their day’s supply, but the City Council 
passed an ordinance forbidding this practice. 

The poultry seller may be seen perched upon a 
great bag-like saddle thrown across his pony’s back, 
from which hang clusters of chickens and turkeys 
fastened to the bag with stout cords. The water 
peddler goes about with a wooden framework sus¬ 
pended from his mule’s back, the frame holding, on 
each side, from two to four kegs of water. There, 
too, is the notion vender leading his horse about 
on whose back is a pannier framework which holds 
his stock of small articles, laces, light fabrics, slip¬ 
pers, and the like. So, too, the charcoal vender 
should receive a passing notice. Charcoal is the 
fuel of the island. The mule, with the usual wooden 
framework loaded with bags of charcoal, is led, 
and sometimes ridden, about the streets, the charcoal 
being sold in small quantities to regular customers. 

Long lines of mule teams ^and many ox teams are 
to be seen coming in from the surrounding country 
bringing vegetables and other garden produce from 
the truck farms. The farmer still plows with a 
crooked stick. That curious and formerly stylish 
vehicle, the volante, a two-wheeled covered carriage 
with very long shafts, generally drawn by at least 
tw r o horses, one of w T hich is ridden by a postillion, is 


172 Norton’s complete hand-book 

now rarely seen in the streets of Havana, but is in 
common use in the country. 

Men and women go about the streets carrying 
great wicker baskets on their heads, the baskets 
resting on pads. These baskets are filled with loaves 
of bread, three or four feet long, or with fruits, 
vegetables, laundry articles and the like. Havana 
is a cosmopolitan city and types of almost every 
nationality are to be seen on the streets. 

SOME OTHER THINGS OBSERVED. 

I saw, at a store near Central Park, Panama hats 
marked from $3 to $106, and a tourist told me that 
she saw one marked $175. The more costly hats are 
closely woven, with the straw under the water, I 
was told; they can be washed and folded up, and will 
last a lifetime. It is the ambition of the Cuban men 
to own a costly Panama. 

There is an astonishingly large number of drug 
stores in Havana. When one becomes aware of the 
defective drainage of the city and the unsanitary 
conditions generally prevailing, it can readily be 
understood why drug stores should flourish. It is 
said that the Cubans are “immune” to yellow fever. 
Its victims are the Spaniards and other foreigners. 

There are many fondas, that is, second or third 
class restaurants. There are numerous large 



Milkman, Havana. 









OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


173 


fashionable restaurants, ice cream parlors and con¬ 
fectionery stores. The only confectionery store in 
Havana kept by an American, when we were there, 
was owned by a lady. She told me that her busi¬ 
ness was excellent, and that Cubans, and in fact all 
other classes, patronized her place. 

The number of drinking places in Havana is 
legion. I saw no one drunk, but presume that there 
is some drunkenness. If so, it is hidden from or¬ 
dinary observation. The Cubans drink light wines, 
coffee, chocolate made after the Mexican fashion, 
naranjada, or orangeade, of which they are very 
fond, limonada, or lemonade, and some other drinks 
of a non-intoxicating character. 

There are many book stores, especially of the 
second-hand variety, where rare and valuable books 
abound. They seem to be well patronized. Spanish 
books, naturally, are more numerous than those in 
other languages. Probably French works come next 
in the list. 


THE CUBAN PEOPLE. 

Cubans are, as a rule, of smaller stature than 
Americans. They dress much as Americans do, ex¬ 
cept as their dress is modified by the requirements of 
the climate. At the time the American occupation 

began, many persons could be seen on the streets of 
12 


174 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Havana so lightly apparelled as to shock the sen¬ 
sibilities of Americans generally, and an order of 
the Military Governor was issued, or some other 
steps taken, which resulted in the clothing of the 
naked portion of the population in accordance with 
American ideas. 

The Cubans are fond of bright colors, of music, 
and of flowers. They love praise and are sensitive 
to criticism. They are naturally quick to learn and 
gentle, but, like people of warm climates generally, 
they are passionate and resentful. Some have as 
fair complexions as any that can be found in the 
States. Most of them are bronzed by the climate. 
In a general way the negroes of the island are called 
Cubans. In a more restricted sense they are not 
Cubans. 

It is sometimes asserted that there is perfect social 
equality between the whites and the negroes in 
Cuba. This is a mistake, although there is a con¬ 
siderably greater commingling between the two 
races there, socially and otherwise, than in any part 
of our country. 

FEELINGS OF CUBANS TOWARD AMERICANS AND 

SPANIARDS. 

So far as my experience and observation while I 
was in Havana are concerned, nothing occurred that 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


175 


led me to believe that Cubans, in general, entertain 
feelings of hostility against the people of the United 
States. I was told by some Americans, some tem¬ 
porarily in Cuba, and some permanently located 
there, that the Cuban people are lazy, treacherous, 
filled with ingratitude toward this country, and that 
they bitterly hate Americans and everything Ameri¬ 
can. 

I set such opinions down as coming from the mali¬ 
cious, the misinformed, and the annexationists, who 
hope to create an irresistible sentiment among our 
people which will ultimately lead to the annexation 
of the island in any event, based on the theory that 
the Cubans are a semi-civilized community incapable 
of maintaining an independent government. Un¬ 
doubtedly there are some just such Cubans as these 
persons describe, but they are neither many nor 
influential. This latter statement is based on my 
observation and more particularly on information 
furnished me by those whose opinions should carry 
great weight with them. 

Some things have occurred since we were in Cuba, 
that may have emphasized any ill-feeling which the 
Cubans had against Americans. Probably they are 
getting somewhat tired of us, and are irritated at 
what they regard as a long delay in delivering to 
them complete possession of their island. 


176 NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

The Spaniards seemed uniformly polite and 
friendly to Americans. I believe that there is con¬ 
siderably more social intercourse between the more 
educated class of Cubans and of Spaniards than 
is, in this country, generally supposed. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


177 


ADIEU TO HAVANA. 

The hour of our departure had arrived. For the 
last time we rattled over the rough pavement, and 
found ourselves again on board the Tarpon, which 
was to take us to the Olivette, lying not far from 
the Regia side of the harbor. The interpreter of 
the Pasaje looked after the hand baggage which 
was delivered to us on board the Tarpon. Again 
we paid fifty cents apiece for passage to the Oli¬ 
vette. The captain of the Tarpon told me that in a 
short time this fare would be included in the price 
of the ticket at the time of purchase by the pas¬ 
senger. 

The Olivette lay about one hundred and fifty feet 
from the “restos,” or wreck of the Maine. All that 
could be seen of the ill-fated vessel was the huge 
twisted mass of iron shown in all pictures of the 
wreck, a bare spar, two or three short pieces pro¬ 
jecting slightly above the surface of the water and, 
at each end of the sunken vessel, a signal to show 
its location. 

As we approached old Morro’s jutting rock, the 
resounding waves were dashing underneath and 
over it, and falling in cascades down the steep sides. 
When the Olivette reached the harbor entrance, 


178 NORTONS COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

her prow shot high in the air, and then plunged 
forward to meet an advancing billow, for the sea 
still ran high as the result of the preceding Satur¬ 
day night’s storm. 

Soon the parti-colored buildings and the red-tiled 
roofs of the city and the high tower of the old San 
Francisco Convent faded from view, then majestic 
Morro, with its tall lighthouse, vanished out of 
sight, and wonderful, quaint and beautiful Havana 
became, to us, but a memory. 

Now and then a flying-fish leaped from wave to 
wave, or sailed through the air for a considerable 
distance, before it disappeared in the billows. The 
sun set in golden glory in those strange romantic 
waters. We reached Key West about seven o’clock 
in the evening, having left Havana at 12:30 o’clock 
that afternoon. 

A physician came on board. The passengers were 
ranged in line on the deck, their names were called, 
and as they passed, one by one, in review before the 
doctor, were greeted with “all right,” and thus the 
health certificates had performed their office. 

We reached Port Tampa about ten o’clock the 
next morning. With valises a little open the pas¬ 
sengers, in turn, placed them on a counter, where 
a custom-house officer glanced at the contents, or 
perhaps thrust a hand into the valise, fumbled 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


179 


about a moment, and then marked “O. K.” on the 
bottom of the bag. This was the last gauntlet run. 
A short stay at that palace of luxury and art, the 
great Tampa Bay Hotel, and we hastened into the 
northern part of Florida for a considerable sojourn 
at beautiful Crescent City. 


180 Norton’s complete hand-book 

APPENDIX TO PART I. 

RAILROADS—FERROCARRILES. 

Ferrocarriles Unidos de la Habana, or The United 

Railways of Havana.—Their station is called Villa- 
* 

nueva, and toward the south, faces Colon Park, 
while the Prado passes along the east side of their 
grounds. 

The lines of this company run from Havana to 
Guana jay; from Havana to Matanzas and Bemba; 
from Havana to La Union, and from Havana to 
Giiines. 

There is a station at Regia across the harbor and 
the trains on the Bemba or Jovellanos branch start 
from this point. Ferryboats ply across the harbor to 
Regia. 

The company ran its first train from Havana to 
Giiines, in 1838; from Jovellanos or Bemba, in 1845 > 
from Palos, in 1845; from Guanajay, in 1846; from 
La Union, in 1848. 

Habana Bay Railroad Company runs from Regia 
to Matanzas and other places. There is a con¬ 
necting branch between Havana harbor and the 
Coliseo and Matanzas railroads, and also a con¬ 
necting branch between Havana harbor and the Ha¬ 
vana United Railways, between Regia and Cienaga. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA l8l 

Ferrocarril de Marianao, or Marianao Railroad 
Company.—From Concha Station, Paseo de Carlos 
III to Marianao about six miles from Havana. 
There is a branch line running from Marianao to 
La Playa de Marianao, a seaside resort, two and a 
half miles north of Marianao. It ran its first train 
in 1863. 

Ferrocarril del Oeste, or Western Railway.—This 
road runs from Havana to Pinar del Rio. Its trains 
leave from the Cristina Station, Havana, at Calzada 
del Monte near Atares Castle. It began running in 
1859. 

STREET RAILWAYS. 

The corporation known as the Ferrocarril Urbano 
de la Habana controls all the street railways. All 
street cars start from Aguiar and Empedrado 
streets and run through the central part of the city. 
The street cars will soon be run wholly by electricity. 

1. The most important line runs from Aguiar 
street along Empedrado street to Monserrate street, 
thence to Bomba street, one block west to Zulueta 
street, thence south to Calzada del Principe Al¬ 
fonso or del Monte, along Calzada de Cristina and 
Calzada de Jesus del Monte to the suburb of that 
name. 

2. A line runs over the same route just described 
to Calzada de Belascoain and thence southwest along 


1 82 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Calzada del Monte and Calzada del Cerro to the 
suburb of that name. This is known as the Cerro 
branch. 

3. This is the Principe branch and runs from 
the heart of the city to Principe Castle. 

A line connects these lines with the terminus of 
the dummy line at La Punta, to El Vedado and 
Chorrera. 

The company’s gross receipts last year amounted 
to $600,000. Havana has about 27 miles of street 
railway. 

4. The Havana Electric Railway Company is 
laying tracks to Jesus del Monte, Cerro, Vedado 
and various other parts of the city and suburbs. 

5. The Cuban Electric Railway Company has a 
line from Regia to Guanabacoa, and ferryboat con¬ 
nections between Havana and Regia. 

STEAMSHIP COMPANIES. 1 

Ward Steamship Company.—Steamers of this line 
arrive from New York at Havana on Mondays and 
Saturdays, and leave for Mexican ports on Tues¬ 
days. They arrive at Havana from Mexican ports 
on Tuesdays, and leave for New York on Tuesdays 
and Saturdays. A fine steamer of the same line 

1 See Map of Havana, “Directory,” for location of 
steamship companies’ offices and wharves. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 183 

arrives at Havana on Wednesdays and leaves on 
Saturdays. 

This company also runs steamers from New York 
to Havana and return by way of Nassau, Guanta¬ 
namo, Santiago and Cienfuegos. 

Munson Line. — This is a new line and is 
a competitor of the Ward line. Its steamers leave 
New York on Saturdays for Nuevitas and Matanzas, 
but do not go to Havana. Passengers sail from Ma¬ 
tanzas for New York on the 15th and 29th of each 
month, and from Nuevitas on the 12th and 26th of 
each month. These boats touch at various points 
along the north coast of Cuba. 

Peninsular and Occidental Steamship Company.— 
This is the name of the newly consolidated Florida 
East Coast Steamship Company and the Plant Sys¬ 
tem. Its steamers arrive at Havana from Tampa, 
Fla., on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and 
from Miami. The steamers touch at Kev West. It 
is probable that during the winter season one 
steamer a day will arrive from and leave for these 
ports. 

Morgan Line.—Southern Pacific.—Steamers run 
between New Orleans and Havana. Will have line 
of first-class steamers running during winter 
months. 

South Coast Line.—Its steamers start from Bata- 


184 Norton’s complete hand-book 

bano, which is reached from Havana by the Villanu¬ 
eva R. R. Trains connect with the boat on Sundays 
and Thursdays, which touches at Cienfuegos, Ca- 
silda, Tunas, Jucaro, Santa Cruz del Sur and Man¬ 
zanillo, and returns to Batabano Sundays and 
Thursdays, from which place trains make close con¬ 
nections with Havana. 

Compania Transatlantic Espanola.—This is a 
Spanish line. The steamers are all first-class. Their 
charges to New York are $10 less than those of the 
American lines, and the table is said to be more ex¬ 
cellent. Their second-class accommodations are 
very good. They leave Havana for Cadiz, by way 
of New York, Barcelona and Genoa, on the 27th of 
each month. Steamers leave New York on the 10th 
of each month and arrive at Havana on the 15th. 
They leave New York for Vera Cruz on the 6th and 
16th of each month, for Colon, Puerto Caballo, La 
Guaira, and Porto Rico on the 4th of each month, 
and Coruna and Santander, Spain, on the 20th of 
each month. 

Compania Vapores, or the Herrera Line. — Its 
steamers go to all the northern ports of the island. 
This is one of the oldest lines. The steamers leave 
Havana on the 5th, 15th and 25th of each month 
for Nuevitas, Puerto Padre, Gibara, Sagua, Tan- 
amo, Baracoa, Guantanamo and Santiago de Cuba. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 185 

Steamers leave Havana for Porto Rico on the ioth 
and on the 20th of each month. Two small steamers 
ply between Havana and Sagua and Caibarien and 
leave Havana Wednesdays at 2 p. m., returning on 
Sundays. 

The steamer Humberto Rodriguez leaves Havana 
for Nuevitas on Saturdays at 3 p. m., and leaves 
Nuevitas for Havana on Tuesdays at 3 p. m. 

The steamer Alava sails from Havana on Wednes¬ 
days for Sagua and Caibarien, and touches at Car¬ 
denas. 

The steamer Guaniguanico leaves Havana on the 
10th, 20th and 30th of every month for Arroyos La 
Fe y Gaudiana and returns on the 17th and 27th of 
each month. 

The steamer Guadiana sails from Havana on Sat¬ 
urdays for Rio del Medio, Dimas, Arroyos La Fe y 
Guadiana. These four steamers leave Havana from 
the Herrera Docks, at the foot of Luz street. 

TABLE OF DISTANCES FROM HAVANA. 1 



Miles. 


Miles. 

Key West . 

.. .. 100 

Quebec . 

. . 2,421 

New Orleans . .. 

.... 690 

Vera Cruz. 

809 

Mobile . 

.... 640 

Rio de Janeiro . .. 

• • 3.536 

Tampa . 

.... 350 

Buenos Ayres . ... 

•• 4.653 

Savannah . 

.... 613 

Montevideo . 

• • 4,553 

Charleston . 

.... 662 

Port of Spain. 

• • 1,521 

Philadelphia .. .. 

• •.. IA 37 

Bermuda . 

• • 1,150 

New York. 

.... 1,215 

Gibraltar . 

• • 4,030 

Boston . 

.... 1,348 

Plymouth (Eng.).. 

.. 3-702 


1 “Military Notes on Cuba,” 5. 





















i86 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


HAVANA AND THE CENSUS OF 1899. 1 

TABLE II.—SEX, GENERAL NATIVITY, AND 

COLOR. 


HAVANA CITY. 


Total population. 

• 235,981 

Negro . 

. .. • 28,750 

Males . 

• 123,258 

Males . 

. .. . 11,212 
•. • • 17,538 

Females . 

. 112.723 

Females .... 

Native white. 

H 5,532 

Mixed . 

. .. . 36,004 

Males . 

52,940 

Males . 

•... I 5 T 79 

Females . 

62,592 

Females .... 

... . 20,825 

Foreign white ... . 

52,901 

Chinese . 

.. .. 2,794 

Males . 

41,190 

Males . 

• • • • 2,737 

Females . 

11,711 

Females . 

57 


TABLE III.—AGE AND SEX AND CONTUGAL 

CONDITION. 2 


HAVANA CITY. 


Under 5 years ... 

• I 7 , 79 i 

21 to 44 years. 

102,404 

Males . 

8.700 

Males . 

57,382 

Females . 

• 9,091 

Females . 

45,022 

5 to 17 years. 

• 62.833 

45 years and over. . 

36,263 

Males . 

• 30,615 

Males . 

17,923 

Females . 

. 32,218 

Females . 

18,340 

18 to 20 years. .. . 

. 16,690 

Single . 

160,780 

Males . 

■ 8,638 

Married . 

42,071 

Females . 

8,052 

Living together as 
husband and wife 
by mutual con¬ 
sent . 

Widowed . 

Unknown . 

18,253 

14.799 

78 


TABLE IV.—BIRTHPLACE AND CITIZENSHIP. 3 


HAVANA CITY. 


Born in Cuba. 178,670 

Born in Spain. 46,855 

Born in other 

countries . 10,456 

Unknown . 


Citizens of Cuba. .. 151,553 


Citizens of Spain.. 7,713 
Citizenship in sus¬ 
pense . 64,126 

Other citizenship. . 12,545 

Unknown . 44 


1 “Census of Cuba,” Bulletin No. II, 13, Govt. Printing 
Office, 1900, Washington, D. C. 

2 “Census of Cuba,” Bulletin No. II., 14. 

3 Ibid., 14. 











































OF* HAVANA AND CUBA l 8 7 


TABLE V.—SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, LITERARY 
AND SUPERIOR EDUCATION. 1 

HAVANA CITY. 


Under io years of age. 42,111 

Attended school . 9,881 

Did not attend school. 32,230 

Ten years of age and over. 193.870 

Attended school . 10,792 

Can neither read nor write. 48,122 

Can read, but cannot write. 7.822 

Can read and write.*. 127,039 

Not stated . 95 

Have superior education. 7 . 2 82 

Have not superior education. 228,699 


HAVANA CITY. 

CITIZENSHIP, LITERACY. AND EDUCATION. 2 



Whites born in 
Cuba. 

All classes. 

Wnites born in 
Spain. 

Colored. 

Whites born in 
oth’r countries.. 

Total of voting age. .. . 

75.305 2 3,790 32,779 

2,787 15,949 

Cuban citizens . 

35,460 22,729 

2 3 

37 12,671 

Can neither read nor 

write . 

8,304 2,565 

I 

2 5.736 

Can read but cannot 

write . 

975 345 

• • • • 

.... 630 

Can read and write. . 

22,790 16,507 

20 

23 6.240 

With superior educa- 

tion . 

3,391 3,312 

2 

12 65 

Spanish citizens . 

4.136 39 

4.089 

5 3 

Can neither read nor 

write . 

H-1 

N 

324 

1 1 

Can read but cannot 

write . 

52 .... 

52 

• ••• •••• 

Can read and write.. 

3.623 30 

3.588 

3 2 

With superior educa- 

tion . 

00 

T}- 

1—c 

125 

I .... 

1 “Census of Cuba,” 

2 “Census of Cuba.” 

Bulletin No. 
Bulletin No. 

II, 15 . 

hi, 8. 





























NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


188 



All classes. 

Whites born in 
Spain. 

Whites born in 
Cuba. 

Whites born in 
other countries. . 


Colored. 

Citizens in suspense.... 

29,079 

450 28,589 

15 


25 

Can neither read nor 

write . 

3,215 

37 3,170 

1 


7 

Can read but cannot 

write . 

389 

5 38 i 

1 


2 

Can read and write... 

24,581 

347 24,211 

8 


15 

With superior educa- 

tion . 

894 

61 827 

5 


1 

Foreign and unknown 

citizens . 

Can neither read nor 

6,630 

572 78 

2,730 

3,250 

write . 

Can read but cannot 

2,623 

8 6 

139 

2,470 

write . 

48 

1 .... 

11 


36 

Can read and write.. . 

3,253 

386 64 

2,067 

736 

With superior educa- 

tion . 

706 

CO 

HH 

5 i 3 


8 


In the city of Havana, the native whites amount 
to 49 per cent of the total population. The number 
of foreign born persons in the city of Havana 
amounts to 22.4 per cent of its total population. The 
colored element, including the negro and mixed 
races, is 27.3 per cent of the city’s population. 1 

The proportion of the total population of the city, 
born in Spain, is nearly 20 per cent; 64.2 per cent of 
the population are Cuban citizens; and only 5.3 per 


1 “Census of Cuba,” Bulletin No. II, 6. 

















Cuban Plow. 









OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


189 

cent claim citizenship other than Cuban or Spanish. 1 
The number of children from 5 to 17 years of age 
in the city is 62,833 1 the number who attend school 
is 20,673, an d the per cent of school attendance is 
• 33- 2 

The number of “potential” voters in the city of 
Havana is 32 per cent of its entire population; of 
this number, the whites born in Cuba amount to 32 
per cent, and of this latter number 96 per cent are 
Cuban citizens. Only 39 native white Cubans are 
Spanish citizens. 3 

In Havana, 44 per cent of all the males of voting 
age are white persons born in Spain. Twenty-three 
persons born in Spain are Cuban citizens. Of the 
potential white voters of the city about 4 per cent 
are citizens of other countries than either Cuba or 
Spain. 4 

The colored potential voters of the city amount to 
21 per cent of the total voting population and about 
four-fifths of this number are Cuban citizens, the re¬ 
mainder being chiefly Chinese. 5 

The literate Cuban citizens of voting age amount 
to 45 per cent of all literates of voting age. 6 

1 “Census of Cuba,” Bulletin No. II, 9. 

2 Ibid., 11. 

3 Ibid., Bulletin No. Ill, 9. 

4 Ibid., 9. 

5 Ibid., 9. 

6 Ibid., 9. 

13 



190 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRONUNCIA¬ 
TION OF SPANISH. 

The following rules for the pronunciation of 
Spanish words are inserted in the hope that they 
may be found useful to those of my readers who 
may have no, or only a very limited, acquaintance 
with the Spanish language. The large number of 
Spanish names and expressions occurring in this 
book would seem to justify the innovation here in¬ 
troduced. 

Accent.—When a word of two or more syllables 
ends in a vowel, or in one of the diphthongs ia, ie, 
io, ua and no, the accent, as a rule, falls on the syl¬ 
lable before the last. Examples: Ca'-lle, street; Col¬ 
za'-da, highway or turnpike, fa-mi'-lia, family. There 
are some exceptions to the rule. Examples: Pri'n- 
ci-pe, prince; na-vi'o, ship; ho-mi-li'a, homily. 

If the word has two or more syllables, and ends 
in a consonant, the accent falls, as a rule, on the last 
syllable. Examples: cor-de'l, cord; ca-fe-ta'l, coffee- 
plantation. There are exceptions. Examples: Ca'r- 
cel, jail; ca’r-men, country-house and garden. Near¬ 
ly all words ending in n, take the accent mark over 
the final syllable. Vi'r-gen and some other words are 
exceptions. Nouns in the singular number ending 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA I9I 

in s generally take the accent on the last syllable. 
There are a few exceptions to this rule. 

In Spanish, when the accent mark “' ” is used, it 
appears just above the vowel in the accented syl¬ 
lable. Thus Ca'-lle, pri'n-ci-pe, cor-de'l, ca'r-cel, etc. 

Syllables.—A single consonant between two 
vowels begins the syllable to which the second vowel 
belongs. 

Example: Ca'-sa, house. Exceptions: nos-o'- 
tros, we; vos-o'-tros, you. 

In the case of two consonants coming together 
between two vowels, the first consonant belongs to 
the preceding syllable, and the second consonant 
begins the following syllable. 

Examples: Ac-ce-si'-ble, accessible; tie'm-po, 
time. Exceptions: ch, ll and rr cannot be separated 
and are to be regarded as simple consonants. Ex¬ 
amples : ca'-lle, street; gue'-rra, war; chin-cho'-so, 
peevish. 

In the combinations bl, cl, H, gl and pi, br, cr, dr, 
fr, gr, pr and tr, the consonant preceding the l or the 
r begins the syllable. Examples: Ha'-bla, idiom; 
cons-tru-i'r, to build. 

Vowels.—Every vowel is sounded: 

A has the sound of a in ah —Example: Ca'lle, street, 

pronounced Kah'-lay. 

E has the sound of a in may —Example: Me'ta, 


192 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


limit, pronounced may'-tali; sometimes like e in 
met. 

I has the sound of ee in see —Example: Vi'no, wine, 
pronounced vee'-no. 

O has the sound of 0 in go —Example: Go'do, 
Gothic, pronounced go'-do. 

U has the sound of 00 in choose —Example: Pu'nta, 
point, pronounced poon'-ta. 

Y has the sound of ee in dee —Example: Mu'y, very 
greatly, pronounced moo'-ee. 1 
A and 0 written together are each sounded, but so 
rapidly as to have nearly the sound of ow. Example: 
Caca'o, cocoa-tree, or cocoa-bean, pronounced Kah- 
kah'-ow. The same rule will apply to a and u writ¬ 
ten together. 

Ei, as in Rei'na, queen, should properly be pro¬ 
nounced ray-ee'-nah, but in Latin-American coun¬ 
tries is generally pronounced ray'-nah. So, ley, law, 
lay'-ee, is pronounced lay. 

Consonants.—The letters, b, d, f, l, m, n, p, s, t, v 
and x are pronounced as in English. 

C before e and i has the sound of th in think. 

1 This is the sound when y stands alone, follows a 
vowel, or stands at the end of a word. When it stands 
before a vowel in the same syllable, or between two vow¬ 
els in the same word, it is a consonant and sounds like 
the English j, but somewhat softer. When it begins a 
word it has the sound of the English y. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


193 


Examples: Pince'l, pencil, is pronounced peen- 
thayl'; ci'ma, summit, is pronounced thee'-mah. In 
fact, however, the usual pronunciation of c in these 
and similar cases, except by those who affect ex¬ 
treme nicety in pronunciation, is simply s. 

C, in all other cases, has the sound of k. Ex¬ 
amples: Cato'lico, Catholic, is pronounced Kah-to'- 
lee-ko ; Colla'r, collar, is pronounced koh-lahr'; de- 
cu'rso, course, is pronounced day-koor'-so. 

Ch has the sound of ch in cheer. Example : Chap- 
para'l, an oak thicket, pronounced chap-ah-raV; tro f - 
cha, a military barrier, is pronounced, tro'-cha. 

G before e and i has the sound of h strongly as¬ 
pirated. Examples: Genera’l, general, is pronounced 
hay-nay-rahV; Gi'gci, jig, is pronounced lice'-gah. 

Before a, 0, u, all consonants, and after vowels, it 
sounds like g in go. If followed by u before e or i 
it sounds like g in go. Examples: Guerre'ro, war¬ 
rior, is pronounced Gay-ray'-ro; Guio'n, a standard, 
is pronounced Gce-on', the u in all except a few 
cases being silent. The exceptions are marked with 
a diaeresis, thus: Ague'ro, augury, is pronounced 
ah-gway'-ro. Gua is pronounced gw ah. Example: 
Guari'smo, cipher, is pronounced gwah-rees'-mo. 

H is silent, except when followed by the diph¬ 
thong ue, when it is slightly aspirated. Example: 
Hida'lgo, a nobleman, is pronounced ee-dahl'-go. 


194 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


J has in all cases the sound of h strongly aspirated. 
Examples: Jose', Joseph, is pronounced Ho-say'; 
Junta, junta, is pronounced hoon'-tah; pasa'je, pas¬ 
sageway, is pronounced pah-sah'-hay. 

LI is very similar in sound to that of ly in English. 
Example: Bello, beautiful, is pronounced bayl'-yo. 

N (n ), n with the tilde', has the sound of ni in 
pinion. Examples: A'-iio, year, is pronounced ahn'- 
yo; senori'ta, miss or young lady, is pronounced 
sayn-yo-ree'-tah. 

Q is always followed by u and has the sound of k. 
The u is always silent. Examples: Que, that, which, 
what, is pronounced kay ; qui'nta, country-seat, is 
pronounced keen'-ta. C is now generally used for q 
in words beginning with qua and quo. 

R has two sounds, a soft sound, when the letter is 
placed between two vowels or at the end of a syl¬ 
lable, like r in bar, and a hard sound when r begins 
a word, or occurs in the middle of a word, if it fol¬ 
lows l, n, or s. Rr has the hard sound of r. Ex¬ 
ample : Ferrocarri'l, railroad. 

Z has the sound of th. Examples: Feli'z, happy, 
is pronounced fay-leeth '; zarzamo'ra , blackberrv- 
bnsh, is pronounced thar-thah-mo'-rah. But in 
Latin-American countries, z is sounded like ss. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


195 


PART II. 

CUBA. 

ITS RESOURCES, ETC. 

At the time that the military occupation of Cuba 
by the United States began, January 1, 1899, the 
condition of the people and of the island was deplor¬ 
able. Many persons were starving, and over 6,000,- 
000 rations were distributed, through various agen¬ 
cies, among the famishing population. Society was 
disorganized in a great degree; agriculture, indus¬ 
try, trade and commerce prostrated; mail service, 
public instruction and local governments at a stand¬ 
still ; and the whole country in an almost bankrupt 
condition. 

The departments of state and government, 
finance, justice and public instruction, and agricul¬ 
ture, commerce, industries and public works, which 
took the place of the Spanish civil departments or 
secretaryships, went vigorously to work, under the 
supervision of the military authorities, to lay the 
foundations of the future prosperity of the country. 
The results already accomplished have been mar¬ 
velous. The recuperative powers of the people and 
of the land have been demonstrated in a remarkable 


manner. 


196 Norton’s complete hand-book 

AREA AND POPULATION. 

The area of Cuba is 43,319 square miles, and from 
its eastern point to its western extremity, through 
the center on a curved line following the general 
shape of the island, the distance is about 730 miles, 
with an average breadth of 80 miles. Its coast line 
is about 2,200 miles in length, or with all its indenta¬ 
tions, about 7,000 miles. 1 It is about the size of the 
State of Pennsylvania, with a population consider¬ 
ably less than one-third of the population of that 
State, and is about four times larger than Belgium, 
with only about one-fourth the population of that 
kingdom. 

The following table presents at a glance a number 
of very interesting facts and figures regarding the 
population of Cuba. 2 

1 In the preparation of this account of the resources, 
etc., of Cuba, the “Civil Report” of Military Governor, 
Maj.-Gen. John R. Brooke, Government Printing 
Office, Washington, 1900, has been freely consulted, as 
well as “Military Notes on Cuba,” published by the gov¬ 
ernment in 1898. I take this occasion to acknowledge 
the courtesy of the War Department in furnishing me 
with this report and especially to thank the Adjutant 
General’s Office for the copy of “Military Notes on 
Cuba” sent me, as it has been of great service to me in 
the preparation of portions of this book. 

2 “Census of Cuba,” Bulletin No. II, 12, Table I. The 
facts and figures here given as to the population, etc., 
have been obtained through the courtesy of Gen. J. P. 
Sanger, Director of the Cuban Census, 1899, Washington, 
D. C. 




Cuban Village. 

















* 



































































































OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


197 

TABLE I.—SUMMARY FOR THE ENTIRE 

ISLAND. 


RACE, NATIVITY AND SEX. 


Total population. 

U 572,797 

Colored . 

520,300 

Male . 

815,205 

Negro . 

234,638 

Female . 

757,592 





Male . 

111,898 



Female . 

122,740 

Native white .... 

910,299 

Mixed . 

270,805 

Male . 

447,373 

Male . 

125,500 

Female . 

462,926 

Female . 

145,305 

Foreign white .. 

142,198 

Chinese . 

14.857 

Male . 

1 15.740 

Male . 

14,694 

Female . 

26,458 

Female . 

163 


AGE AND 

SEX 


Under 5 years of 


21 to 44 . 

553,922 

age . 

130,878 





Male . 

297765 

Male . 

65.904 

Female . 

256,157 

Female . 

64,974 





45 years and over. 

223,494 

5 to 17 years.... 

552,928 





Male . 

120,228 

Male . 

276.881 

Female . 

103,266 

Female . 

276,047 



18 to 20 years. .. 

m ,575 



Male . 

• 54,427 



Female . 

• 57 U 48 




CONJUGAL CONDITION. 


Single . 

1,108.709 

Living together... 

I 3 U 787 

Married . 

246,351 

Widowed . 

85,112 


BIRTHPLACE. 


Cuba . 

1,400,262 

Other countries... 

43,207 

Spain . 

129,240 




CITIZENSHIP. 


Cuban . 

1,296,367 

In suspense . 

i 75 , 8 ii 

Spanish . 

20,478 

Other citizenship. 

79,525 

























































198 Norton’s complete hand-book 

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, ILLITERACY, AND SU¬ 
PERIOR EDUCATION. 


Under 10 years of age. 356,987 

Attended school . 40,658 

Ten years of age and over. 1,215,810 

Attended school . 49,414 

Can neither read nor write. 688,555 

Have superior education. 19,158 


Inferences Drawn From This Table by the Census 
Officials.—The native whites constitute 57.8 per cent 
of the total population of the island. The foreign 
whites constitute 9 per cent; the negro and mixed 
elements, 32 per cent; and the Chinese less than 1 
per cent. 

Of the total population of the island, 89 per cent 
were born in Cuba, 8 per cent in Spain, and 3 per 
cent in other countries. Three-fourths of the for¬ 
eign-born are Spanish. 

Eighty-three per cent of the population at the 
time of taking the census, October 16, 1899, claimed 
Cuban citizenship, 1 per cent that of Spain and 11 
per cent were in suspense, not having declared their 
intentions. Five per cent claimed citizenship other 
than Cuban or Spanish. In the province of Santiago 
91.7 per cent of the inhabitants claimed Cuban citi¬ 
zenship, and in the city of Havana only 64.2 per 
cent were citizens of Cuba. 

About one-sixth of all the children in Cuba at¬ 
tended school during the year 1899. 








OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


199 


The average number of inhabitants of Cuba per 
square mile is 35.7 or about that of the State of 
Iowa. 

The urban population, including all cities down to 
1,000 inhabitants, is 741,273, or 47.1 per cent of 
the total population, or down to 8,000, as is the rule 
in the United States, there are only 499,682, or 32.3 
per cent. 

The following table gives the male population of 
Cuba, variously classified, 21 years of age and 
over r 1 


TOTAL OF THE ISLAND. 
CITIZENSHIP, LITERACY, AND EDUCATION. 


- 

All classes. 

Whites born in 
Cuba. 

Whites born in 
Spain. 

Whites born in 
oth’r countries.. 

Colored. 

Total of voting age. .417,993 

187,813 96,088 

6,794 

127,298 

Cuban citizens . 

.290.905 

184,471 

142 

78 106,214 

Can neither 

read 





nor write . . 

.172,627 

94,301 

34 

13 

78,279 

Can read but 

can- 





not write.. . . 

. 4 T 32 

2,089 

• • • • 

1 

2,042 

Can read and write. 105,285 

79,452 

99 

39 

25,695 

With superior 

ed- 





ucation .... 

. 8,861 

8,629 

9 

25 

198 

Spanish citizens 

. 9.500 

144 

9 , 34 i 

6 

9 

Can neither 

read 





nor write . . 

. 1 .149 

18 

1,126 

i 

4 


1 “Census of Cuba,” Bulletin No. Ill, 5-6. 
















200 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


Can read but can¬ 
not write. 

Can read and write. 
With superior ed¬ 
ucation . 

Citizens in suspense.. 
Can neither read 

nor write . 

Can read but can¬ 
not write. 

Can read and write. 
With superior ed¬ 
ucation . 

Foreign and unknown 

citizens . 

Can neither read 

nor write . 

Can read but can¬ 
not write. 

Can read and write. 
With superior ed¬ 
ucation . 


All classes. 

Whites born in 
Ciihn. 

Whites born in 
Spain. 

Whites born in 
other countries. 

Colored. 

108 

2 

106 



7,929 

105 

7,816 

3 

5 

3 i 4 

19 

293 

2 


76,669 1,296 

75,249 

37 

87 

16,945 

312 

16,590 

- 7 

36 

858 

18 

837 

1 

2 

56.704 

861 

55.771 

24 

48 

2,162 

105 

2,051 

5 

1 

40,919 1,902 

11.356 

6.673 

20,988 

26,641 

191 

7.434 

<N 

00 

18,144 

293 

8 

153 

34 

98 

11,914 1 

,152 

3.682 

4.377 

2.703 

2,071 

551 

87 

1,390 

43 


The number of males of voting age in Cuba is 
26 per cent of the total population, being but 1 per 
cent less than the proportion in the United States 
according to the census of 1890. 

Of the “potential" voters in Cuba, 70 per cent 
were Cuban citizens, 2 per cent were Spanish citi¬ 
zens, 18 per cent were holding their citizenship in 



















OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


201 


suspense, and io per cent were citizens of other 
countries, or their citizenship was unknown. 

The number of males of voting age who could 
read was 200,631, or a little less than one-half the 
total number of males of voting age. Of those 22,- 
629 were of Spanish or other foreign or unknown 
citizenship. The number whose citizenship was in 
suspense was 59,724 and the number of Cuban citi¬ 
zens able to read was 118,278, or 59 per cent of all 
Cuban citizens of voting age. 

The following table shows in what proportion the 
total population of Cuba on October 16, 1899, was 
distributed among the six provinces i 1 

Habana . 424,804 Puerto Principe... 88,234 

Matanzas . 202,444 Santa Clara .356.536 

Pinar del Rio. 173,064 Santiago . 327,715 

The direct and indirect losses in the population 

of Cuba by the late Cuban war for independence 
and by the reconcentration policy amounted approx¬ 
imately to 200,000. 

The people of Cuba may be divided into the fol¬ 
lowing classes: 

1. Cubans proper,—descendants of Spaniards. 

2. Persons with a tincture of negro blood from a 
slight trace down to and including quadroons. 

3. Negroes and mulattoes. 

4. Spaniards,—natives of Spain. 


1 “Census of Cuba,” Bulletin No. I., 10. 








202 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


5. Americans, English, French, Germans and other 
white persons. 

6. Coolies, i. e., Asiatic laborers. 

It may be a question whether the mulattoes should 
not be placed in the second class rather than with 
the negroes as above. 

topography. 

It may be stated as a general proposition, that 
ranges of mountains extend throughout the length 
of the island from its eastern to its western ex¬ 
tremity. The highest mountains are in the province 
of Santiago de Cuba, the Blue Peak, belonging to 
the Sierra Maestre range, attaining an elevation of 
nearly 9,000 feet, the average elevation of the range 
being about 5,000 feet. 

Detached groups of mountainous elevations char¬ 
acterize the province of Puerto Principe, and there 
are many hills. Cubitas is famous for two wonder¬ 
ful caves—Cubitas and Resolladero Guacanaya—and 
several others of note in the Cubitas range. Here, 
too, was the seat of the Cuban government during 
the last war for independence. 

El Pico del Potrillo is the highest point in the 
province of Santa Clara, with an elevation of about 
3,000 feet, and belongs to the San Juan group, near 
the coast. This province has a very large number 
of lakes. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


203 


Along Matanzas Bay, in the province of that 
name, there is a range of headlands whose highest 
point is 1,300 feet, and which is called Pan de Ma¬ 
tanzas, from its real or fancied resemblance to a loaf 
of sugar. The famous caves of Bellamar are located 
three and a half miles from the city of Matanzas. 
There are some other portions of the province of a 
mountainous nature. 

In the central part of the province of Havana is 
the range of mountains known as the Sierra San 
Francisco de Janvier, and farther west, the Sierra 
de Bejucal. In the west and northwestern part are 
the Sierra de San Martin, Sierra Guanabacoa, and 
Sierra Sibarimar ranges. About the city of Havana 
there are many hills, some of which attain a con¬ 
siderable height. This province has a number of 
pretty lakes. 

There are many hills and rocky mountain ranges 
in the western and northwestern part of the province 
of Pinar del Rio. It also contains some remarkable 
caves. 

The southern coast of Cuba is mostly low and 
marshy and the same is true of considerable parts 
of the northern coast. There are some large swamps 
and vast savannahs in the interior. Four-fifths of 
the island is composed of low lands. 

The longest and largest river is the Cauto, in the 


204 Norton’s complete hand-book 

province of Santiago de Cuba. It is navigable for 
a distance of 60 miles. The island abounds in rivers, 
generally short, and, if navigable at all, only for a 
little distance. Still, these rivers form a means of 
communication between the interior and the coast, 
and explain, it is said, in some measure, the fact that 
Cuba is practically without roads in the greater part 
of the island. 

ANIMALS. 

There are a few deer, and many wild dogs, pigs 
and cats in the island. There is an animal, a foot 
or more in length and resembling the rat, called the 
jutia. The manati, or sea-cow, is found along the 
coasts. The horse, mule, ox, dog, sheep, goat and 
hog are the domestic animals found there. 

There are more than 200 species of birds, and 
turkeys, geese and pigeons are among the domestic 
fowls. More than 700 varieties of fish are found in 
the waters of Cuba and those surrounding the island. 
There are not many snakes, and none are poisonous. 
The maja is a large snake, 10 to 15 feet in length. 
The crocodile, or cayman, abounds. 

f 

CLIMATE, ETC. 

Cuba lies wholly within the tropics. There are 
but two seasons, a wet season, or summer, and the 
dry season, or winter. The rainy season begins 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


205 


early in June and continues until about October. 
The dry season lasts from October until about June. 
One-third of the rainfall of the year occurs, how¬ 
ever, during the dry season. The rains generally 
occur in the afternoon, and there may be several 
showers in a single afternoon. 

The showers are usually very heavy and almost 
always accompanied by thunder and lightning. The 
average annual rainfall is from 50 to 52 inches. The 
average number of rainy days in a month is 10. 
The atmospheric humidity averages for the year 80 
per cent. 

The mean annual temperature at Havana is 75 0 
for the hottest month and 70° for the coldest. The 
thermometer sometimes reaches 90° in the shade, 
but rarely goes above 86°, in the summer. The 
mean temperature during the day in the winter is 
8o°. The thermometer once in a great while goes 
as low as 50°. The heat is oppressive because of the 
great amount of moisture in the atmosphere. Frost 
occurs in the interior at considerable elevations. 
The trade wind from the east is the prevailing 
breeze. From 10 o’clock a. m. to 2 o’clock p. m. is 
the hottest part of the day. 

DISEASES. 

Yellow fever, malarial fever, intermittent fever, 

14 


2o6 Norton’s complete hand-book 

diarrhoea, dysentery, lock-jaw, consumption, result¬ 
ing in a larger percentage of deaths than that from 
any other disease, and leprosy are the principal dis¬ 
eases. The disease most to be dreaded is the vomito, 
or yellow fever. 

Care by the unacclimatized should be exercised in 
the matters of diet, clothing, and exposure to the 
sun’s rays and to cold and wet. No work should 
be performed, in the sun at least, between n a. m. 
and 3 p. m. 

EARTHQUAKES AND HURRICANES. 

Earthquakes are mostly confined to the eastern 
part of the island, but occasionally shocks somewhat 
severe are felt in its western portion. Cuba is less 
liable to hurricanes than are the other West Indian 
islands. Severe hurricanes are infrequent visitors 
on this favored isle. 


MINERALS. 

Copper.—This is found in nearly all parts of the 
island. In Pinar del Rio are the mines of Buenas, 
Aguas, Recompensa, Union and Caridad. In the 
province of Havana are the mines of Bacuranao and 
Guanabacoa, Jaruco and others. Many mines exist 
in the province of Matanzas. Copper is found in 
Santa Clara and also in Puerto Principe. The pro- 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 207 

vince of Santiago de Cuba has the largest and best¬ 
paying copper mines in the island. 

Iron.—Iron ore is found in the provinces of San¬ 
tiago de Cuba, Santa Clara and Puerto Principe. 
It probably exists in all the other provinces. The 
province of Santiago is very rich in deposits of this 
ore, and three companies, the Juragua Iron Com¬ 
pany, Limited, the Spanish-American Iron Com¬ 
pany and the Sigua Iron Company do all the busi¬ 
ness. 1 

Lead.—Several lead mines have been opened in 
the province of Santa Clara. Very little has been 
done in the way of developing this business. 

Coal.—Some coal is said to exist in Cuba, espe¬ 
cially in the province of Santiago de Cuba. 

Gold.—Deposits of gold have been found in Santa 
Clara province. The most important mine is that 
of the Meloneras, near Guaracabuya. There are 
gold mines in the Holguin district. Gold deposits 
have been found in the Isle of Pines. It is probable 
that Cuba is richer in this metal than is generally 
supposed. 

Silver.—Silver deposits have been found in the 
provinces of Santiago, Puerto' Principe, and Santa 

Clara, and in some other places in Cuba. Silver has 

# 

also been found in the Isle of Pines. 


1 Robert P. Porter, “Industrial Cuba,” 1899, page 319. 



208 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Manganese.—This is found in large quantities in 
the province of Santiago. 

Asphaltum.—There are important mines of this 
mineral in the provinces of Pinar del Rio and Ha¬ 
vana. The mines of Jesus del Potosi and Santa 
Rosa are those best known in the province of 
Havana, and those of Rodas, Concepcion and Madg- 
dalena, in that of Pinar del Rio. It is found in 
various other places. 

Bituminous Oils.—Petroleum is found in many 
places. Oil oozes from the rocks and underlies 
asphaltum beds in different parts of the island. 

Sulphur.—There are mineral springs near the city 
of Havana and in many other places in Cuba. These 
all show the presence of sulphur. 

Salt.—Salt deposits are found all over the island. 

Nickel.—“Nickel is also said to exist.” 1 

Quicksilver.—This has been found in small quan¬ 
tities. 2 

Marble.—There are very fine qualities of marble 
and granite, for monumental purposes, in various 
localities in Cuba and especially in the Isle of Pines. 
Building stone is also abundant. Much of it is a 
“soft carbonate of calcium.” 

There are various kinds of clays both in Cuba and 


1 Porter, “Industrial Cuba,” 328. 

? Ibid. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


209 


in the Isle of Pines; lime is manufactured from dif¬ 
ferent sorts of limestones. There are numerous 
limestone quarries in the vicinity of Havana; ochre 
is found in Santiago province and in Santa Maria 
del Rosario and Guanabacoa, suburbs of Havana; 
there are deposits of chrome in the island; talc is 
also found; lodestone, or magnetite abounds, and 
moulding sand of very fine quality exists near Nueva 
Filipina. Rock-crystal is found in the Isle of Pines 
and in other localities. Slate exists in Santiago 
province. 

It is probable that the mineral wealth of the island 
is much greater than is generally believed. 

Under the Spanish law all mines belong to the 
state in its right of sovereignty. For the purposes 
of the law, all minerals in Cuba are classified under 
three heads: 

1. Mineral products of a terreous nature, sili- 
cious rock, slate sandstone, granites, basalt, lime¬ 
stone, chalk sands, marls, and generally, all others 
used in building materials taken from quarries. 

2. The metalliferous sands and alluviums, iron 
minerals, emery, ochre, and almagra, the metallifer¬ 
ous soils derived from former concessions, pyritic, 
alumish, and magnesium soils, saltpetre, lime phos¬ 
phates, sulphate of baryte, fluor spar, steatite, kaolin 
and all kinds of clay. 


210 Norton’s complete hand-book 

3. Seams of metalliferous substances, anthra¬ 
cite, pit coal, lignite, asphalt, mineral tars, petroleum 
and mineral oils, graphite, saline substances, includ¬ 
ing the alkaline and terreous alkaline salts, found 
either in solid form or dissolved in water, sulphates 
of iron, sulphur and precious stones. Subterranean 
waters belong to this group. 

When the minerals of the first group are found in 
the public lands, they are of common use. When 
found in private lands, the title to the minerals is 
granted by the state to the owner of the surface, 
and he may work them or not. The minerals of the 
second group are on the same footing, but, if the 
owner does not operate the mine, the state may con¬ 
demn the surface, indemnifying the owner therefor, 
and grant the possession and enjoyment of the min¬ 
eral to other persons. The third class can be worked 
after a grant for that purpose is made by the state. 
“In this case the property of the surface and that of 
the subsoil become different properties, and when 
one of them must subserve the ends of the other 
condemnation and indemnity therefor ensues.” 1 

Concessions of mines are made by the government 
in perpetuity. In public lands belonging to the 
state, any one can make excavations, but not to 


1 General Brooke’s “Report,” 246. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


211 


exceed io meters in length and in depth. Notice 
must be given to proper local authority. In private 
lands, consent of owners to make such excavations 
must be obtained. 

In case of the second and third classes of mines, 
the unit of measure is called a pertenencia, and is 
ioo meters square, but unlimited as to depth. Four 
or more of these pertenencias may be obtained in a 
single concession. Four pertenencias are the least 
number that can be included in one concession. Ap¬ 
plication in writing must be made to the civil gov¬ 
ernor of the province. Priority in filing application 
for that concession determines the right of prefer¬ 
ence. In the second class, the owner of the surface 
has the preference, if he agrees to commence operat¬ 
ing the mine within a period fixed by the govern¬ 
ment, which must not be more than 30 days. 

There is an annual surface impost ranging from 
$20 to $30. The slags and terriers pay $1 for each 
1,000 square meters of surface extension. Permits 
for investigation must pay $20 a year. The state 
receives 2 per cent of the gross proceeds of the 
mines. 

Mining legislation in Cuba is not in a satisfactory 
condition, and, owing to the disorganization result¬ 
ing from the war of independence and the Spanish- 
American war, it is, in many cases, difficult to know 


212 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


to whom mining concessions have been made. The 
Foraker amendment at present stands in the way of 
any new concessions from the state, though pro¬ 
visional “permits” continue to be granted by the 
Civil Governors of the several provinces. 

TIMBER. 

Cuba, together with its islands, contains more 
than 28,000,000 acres, of which about 20,000,000 
acres are uncultivated, and about 13,000,000 acres 
are covered with forests. About 1,226,920 acres of 
these timber lands belong to the state. The provinces 
of Santiago de Cuba and Santa Clara and the Isle 
of Pines possess the largest areas of timber lands. 
The best building material is found in the interior 
of the provinces. Many parts of the island are, 
however, not well wooded, and some persons advise 
the planting of forests in scantily timbered dis¬ 
tricts. 

Cedar.—Cuba has furnished the United States 
with more cedar than any other kind of wood; it is 
found in many parts of the island. 

Mahogany.—The finest mahogany in the world is 
found in Cuba. Ordinary varieties are worth from 
$100 to $150 per 1,000 feet, and the finest varieties 
range in price from $400 to $1,200 and $1,500. The 
trees stand far apart, often in the midst of the jungle. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


213 


Some of these trees are 10 feet in diameter, and are 
usually cut from 10 to 15 feet from the ground. 
The province of Santiago de Cuba has the finest ma¬ 
hogany. It is found in many other parts of the 
island. 1 

Palms.—There are about 30 varieties of palms, 
among them the sago palm, cabbage palm, the 
guano, the yarey, the guano de Cana, which pro¬ 
duces the vanilla bean, the cocoanut palm, and, most 
important of all, the royal palm. Nearly all the 
different varieties of palm can be put to at least 
several uses, and the royal palm probably serves 
twenty-five or thirty different purposes. It is used 
in the manufacture of baskets, certain kinds of cook¬ 
ing utensils and canes. It is an excellent building 
material, retaining the warmth in winter and exclud¬ 
ing the heat in summer. Its leaves make good roof¬ 
ing and thatching; its tuft may be eaten like 
cauliflower; its seeds will fatten hogs; its fibers 
may be wet and then folded and worked into cord¬ 
age. 

Ebony.—Grows in many places in Cuba. All are 
familiar with its uses. 

Lignum Vitse.—This hard wood is found in many 
parts of the island. 

Acana.—This is a very hard, reddish wood ; when 


1 Porter, “Industrial Cuba,” 340. 



214 Norton’s complete hand-book 

polished it looks somewhat like cherry. There are 
at least two varieties. They are very beautiful and 
valuable woods. 

Guyacan.—A very hard wood and polishes finely. 
It has somewhat reddish streaks with intervening 
lighter ones when polished. 

Ginebrahacha.—This is a species of fir-tree. 

Majagua.—There are at least three varieties, one 
of a light color, with dark streaks, and quite hard; 
another darker, of more even color, whose wood is 
moderately hard, and a third, still darker and very 
hard. All three varieties polish nicely. From the 
bark of this tree cordage is made. The tree grows 
to a height of forty feet. 

Jigui.—A very hard wood and lasts well. 

Cayguaran.—Also a hard and desirable wood. 

Maranon.—A gum like gum arabic is obtained 
from this tree. 

Oak.—There are several kinds of oak. An ever¬ 
green variety flourishes in some parts of the island, 
but the supply of oak timber is, on the whole, small. 

Pino de Tea.—This is a pitch or torch pine. 

Cuia.—Very durable in water. 

Caimitillo.—Useful for building and furniture 
purposes. 

Nogal or Walnut.—There is the nogal or common 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 215 

black-walnut, and several other varieties not differ¬ 
ing greatly from it. 

Sabicu.—There are several varieties of this very 
hard and beautiful wood, of yellowish and reddish 
color. It takes on a splendid polish. 

Yaya.—A useful wood in the construction of 
houses and for various other purposes. 

Ocuje.—Several varieties. A very hard wood. 
Polishes finely. A yellowish red. Wide dark red 
streaks alternating with narrower light ones. Held 
in certain positions in the light, it has the peculiar 
property, when polished, of presenting an appear¬ 
ance almost wholly different from its ordinary char¬ 
acter, much like the shimmering of silks. It is used 
for furniture and interior finishing purposes. 

Baria.—A small hard-wood tree. Canes are made 
from this wood. 

Sabina.—A valuable hard-wood tree. 

Cuen.—From this tree are made barrel hoops, and 
other similar articles. 

Aceitillo.—An exceedingly hard wood. At least 
two varieties, somewhat resembling the common 
beech. Very fine grain. Polishes handsomely, and 
can be used for making furniture and for other pur¬ 
poses. 

Granadillo.—This tree grows to a height of 12 
feet. Canes and other small articles are made from 
it. 


2l6 


Norton's complete hand-book 


Macurije.—A moderately hard wood which pol¬ 
ishes well, and has a sort of grayish-green color, 
with a narrow dark stripe and a wider light-colored 
stripe. Can be used for a variety of purposes. 

Maboa.—A wood useful for many ordinary pur¬ 
poses. 

Ayti.—Several varieties. Very hard and takes a 
beautiful polish. Straw-colored or a little darker, 
with a heart somewhat resembling walnut but harder 
and finer, its grain alternating light and dark, while 
the “sap" resembles maple, and is as hard as the 
center. This wood probably far surpasses any tim¬ 
ber in the United States for the purpose of interior 
finish. 

Jaguey.—This is a parasite tree. Various small 
articles are made from it. 

Chicharron.—A hard wood of several varieties, 
the darker variety being extremely ha-rd. In color 
it considerably resembles the black walnut. 

Ceiba.—The silk cottonwood, so called from the 
fact that it bears a pod containing silk, but the fiber 
cannot be used for spinning. It grows to a great 
height, and is a splendid shade tree. 

Vera.—Very hard, almost like petrified wood, 
with a sound, when struck, similar to that of stone, 
susceptible of a high polish, and of a light yellow 
with flecks and streaks running lengthwise. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 217 

Banyan.—A tree whose branches droop and take 
root in the ground and often cover several acres. 

Rosewood.—This beautiful wood is found in the 
island. 

Agracejo.—A beautiful, almost straw-colored, 
hard wood. 

Jucaro.—A very hard wood, not unlike the wal¬ 
nut, and serves a variety of purposes. 

The mango, and Spanish laurel, are fine shade 
trees. The narango, or wild orange, and agraceje 
are hard woods of a light yellow color and pol¬ 
ish nicely. 

The sand-box tree explodes its fruit, producing a 
sharp report. After the explosion, the monkeys 
gather about to eat the seeds, and hence the natives 
have given this tree the name of the “monkey’s din¬ 
ner bell.” The trumpet tree makes a hollow sound, 
when struck. Other woods such as fustic, capeche 
wood and Brazilian wood are found in the island. 

AGRICULTURE. 

Cuba is one of the richest agricultural countries 
in the world. Its fertility has become proverbial. 
Its leading product is sugar, and tobacco comes next 
on the list. The first sugar plantation on the island 
was established in 1535. 

Sugar.—Cuba is the greatest cane-sugar pro- 


218 


NORTON S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


ducing country in the world. The black soil is the 
best for sugar-cane growing. The cane should be 
renewed about every seven years. Some sugar plan¬ 
tations cover vast areas. The Constancia plantation, 
the second in rank in the island, about a dozen miles 
from Cienfuegos, contains 66,000 acres. Cane is 
sometimes brought 50 miles to be worked up. 1 

A plantation where both the cane is raised and 
the juice manufactured into sugar, is called an in- 
genio; one which merely grows the cane, to be 
worked up elsewhere, is called a colonia. In case 
of a large plantation, there is a plant consisting of 
buildings for many different purposes, such as ma¬ 
chine shops, electric light plants, repair shops, etc. 
This is known as the Central. Railroad tracks run 
to different parts of the plantation. A large number 
of men, horses, mules and oxen are needed in the 
business. 

There are many plantations of only 100 to 500 
acres. 2 About 2,000,000 acres were employed be¬ 
fore the late war in sugar-cane growing. 

Beet sugar has become a formidable competitor 
of that made from sugar-cane. With improved ma¬ 
chinery and careful attention to details of the busi- 

1 Franklin Mathews, “The New-Born Cuba,” Chap. 15. 

2 The term Caballeria is often used in connection with 
land measures. It is a quantity of land equal to 33% 
acres. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


219 


ness, capitalists may, nevertheless, expect good 
profits on their investments in the sugar business in 
Cuba. The United States imports about 80 per 
cent of all the sugar produced in Cuba. The yield 
in 1894 was 1,040,000 tons of sugar, and about 400,- 
000 tons of molasses, but the war nearly destroyed 
this industry. 

Santa Clara and Matanzas are the two great sugar 
producing provinces; they, together, furnished for 
many years 80 per cent of the entire amount ex¬ 
ported by the island. For the year 1898-1899, their 
exports were 1,444,000 sacks, worth $11,828,000. 
At present the outlook in this industry, all over the 
island, is very encouraging. 

Tobacco.—No other product of Cuban soil brings 
so large a profit in return for so small an outlay. 
One person can attend to three or four acres. The 
plants are set out in October, November and De¬ 
cember. The crop is ready to harvest in three or 
four months after the plants are placed in the 
ground. 

The tobacco produced in the Vnelta Aba jo 
(Lower Valley), a tract about 90 miles long by 10 to 
15 wide, at the foot and south of a range of moun¬ 
tains in the northwestern part of the province of 
Pinar del Rio, is without a rival in its flavor. The 
province of Havana has much excellent soil for 


220 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


tobacco growing, and many plantations. The red 
soil is best for raising tobacco. Tobacco farms con¬ 
tain from 3 to 30 acres. A tobacco plantation is 
called, in Cuba, a vega. The province of Santa 
Clara, also, produces large quantifies of fine to¬ 
bacco. 

About 80,000 persons are engaged in tobacco 
raising in Cuba. The Germans take the lead in the 
manufacture of cigars. 

Coffee.—This industry ranks third in magnitude 
and value of product. The coffee plant is said to 
have been introduced into the island from Haiti 
about the middle of the eighteenth century. A 
coffee plantation is called a cafetal. The trees are 
planted wide apart, in rows, with shade or fruit 
trees between as a protection against the injurious 
effects of a tropical sun. 

Coffee plantations range in extent from 150 acres 
to 1,000 acres or more. From 40 to 60 negroes are 
employed on a plantation of 1,000 acres. More cof¬ 
fee is grown in the eastern part of the island, espe¬ 
cially in the province of Santiago de Cuba, the most 
important coffee-raising district in Cuba, than in 
the western, although considerable is grown in the 
province of Pinar del Rio, and coffee of very fine 
quality is raised in the province of Havana. In its 
wild state the coffee tree reaches a height of 20 feet, 


Pineapple Grove near Havana. 



t 








OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


221 


but for convenience in gathering the crop, it is kept 
down by the coffee-grower to a height of about 12 
feet. 

. A coffee plantation is a beautiful sight, with its 
pretty trees, whose leaves are smooth and of a dark- 
green color. The harvest begins in July and ends 
in December. 

Cattle Raising.—As this is the next most import¬ 
ant industry of the island, a brief account respecting 
it is here inserted, it being thought sufficiently ger¬ 
mane to the general subject to warrant its introduc¬ 
tion at this point. 

So acute and accurate an observer as Gen. 
James H. Wilson, former Military Governor of the 
provinces of Matanzas and Santa Clara, expressed 
his belief that a “more prompt return and larger 
profits can be realized in the next five years in that 
[the cattle] business in Cuba than in any other pos¬ 
sible industry, unless Cuban sugar should be per¬ 
mitted to enter the United States free of duty.” 1 

There were considerably more than 1,000,000 head 
of cattle in the island in 1894, before the Cuban 
war for independence, while at the close of the 
Spanish-American war in the middle of 1898, there 
were only about 75,000 head. Nearly the whole 
island is covered with grass and is well adapted to 

1 General Brooke’s “Report,” 337. 

16 



222 Norton’s complete hand-book 

cattle raising. Matanzas and Santa Clara provinces 
are, perhaps, better adapted to this business than any 
of the other provinces. The tables below show 
the importations of cattle into Cuba, at Havana, for 
the month of July, 1900 d 

Excellent returns could probably be had from the 
raising of horses, mules and hogs. 

Corn.—Two or three crops of corn a year can be 
raised; and in the form of fodder, four or five crops 
a year can easily be obtained. 

Rice.—Rice is grown in the provinces of Havana 
and Matanzas, and along the lowlands of the coast. 

Potatoes.—Two or three crops of Irish potatoes 
can be raised each year in Cuba. The yield is very 
large. I was told at Marianao, a town about seven 
miles southwest of Havana, that a crop of sweet 
potatoes could be raised every forty days, or 
about nine crops a year. This may be an exaggera¬ 
tion, but it is undoubtedly true that in some parts 


1 The figures here given are taken from a statement 
in “The Havana Post,” of Friday, Aug. 10, 1900. 


From Florida . 

“ Vera Cruz ... 

“ Puerto Cabello 

“ Mobile . 

“ Tampico . 

“ Honduras .... 

“ New Orleans . 


5T56 

1,916 

756 

331 

304 

161 

42 


Total 


8,666 













OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


223 


of the island three immense crops can be obtained 
yearly. 

Cotton.—Cotton is grown but little, but there is 
every probability that it will be raised much more 
extensively in the future than it has been in the 
past. 

Beans, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce, 
yuca, from which tapioca is made, celery, beets, 
onions, peanuts, mustard, pepper, ginger, licorice, 
sarsaparilla, vanilla, copal, china root, and other 
plants and vegetables grow in Cuba. Honey of the 
finest quality is one of the articles of export. 

The following table will give a good idea of the 
state of agriculture in the island, shortly before the 
breaking out of the Cuban war for independence. 
There were in 1894 d 


Breeding farms . 3 » 3 °° 

Sugar-cane plantations. I , 5 °° 

Coffee plantations . 1,000 

Herds of horses...... 6,000 

Cocoa-bean plantations. 13 

Tobacco fields . 9 - 5 °° 

Bee farmers. 2,300 


In all, 100,000 city and 20,000 country estates 
corresponding to 70,000 proprietors. 2 

The imports are mainly jerked beef from South 

1 The figures here given are taken from “Military 

Notes on Cuba,” 28. 

2 “Military Notes on Cuba,” 28. 











224 Norton’s complete hand-book 

America, codfish from British North American prov¬ 
inces, flour from Spain, rice from Carolina, Spain 
and the East Indies, wine and olive oil from Spain, 
boards for boxes, etc., from North America, coal 
from Europe and North America (charcoal is main¬ 
ly used as fuel in Cuba), petroleum from the United 
States, and many other articles from England, Ger¬ 
many and Belgium, especially hardware, and cattle 
from Florida and the coasts of the Gulf of Mex¬ 
ico. 1 

The exports are mainly sugar, tobacco, coffee, 
brandy, copper, wax, honey, leather, horn, cocoanut 
oil, timber and fruit. 2 

There is little manufacturing business in the 
island outside of that of making cigars in Havana. 

As to the population which Cuba is capable of 
supporting, the estimates differ greatly. No one 
places the number at less than 5,000,000 people, 
while some put the number at 15,000,000 and even 
as high as 18,000,000. 


FRUITS. 

While people living in the temperate zones are 
familiar with many kinds of tropical fruits, there is 
a large number whose names are not even known 

1 “Military Notes on Cuba,” 28. 

2 Ibid., 28. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 225 

to most persons residing outside of tropical and sub¬ 
tropical countries. 

Banana.—There are a number of varieties of this 
most valuable of tropical fruits. It grows wild along 
the coast and, in fact, throughout the island. 

Cocoanut.—Cocoanuts can be raised in all parts 
of the island, but they are mostly grown in the prov¬ 
ince of Santiago de Cuba, in which a large business 
in cocoanut oil is done. Cocoanuts grow in bunches 
on the cocoanut palm. Some of these cocoanuts at¬ 
tain a very large size. The natives are very fond of 
the milk (almost colorless) of the green cocoanut. 

Pineapple.—There are several varieties in the 
island. The province of Havana contains many 
large pineapple plantations. It grows wild in various 
places in Cuba. One crop a year, after the first crop, 
which requires about 16 to 18 months to mature, can 
be secured. Each plant bears one apple a year. 

Grapes.—Grapes can be raised in Cuba, but little 
has been done in that direction as yet. 

Strawberry.—Two or three crops of strawberries 
a year can be grown in Cuba. 

Melons.—Watermelons, muskmelons and canta¬ 
loupes grow well in the soil of Cuba. 

Zapote.—The zapote chico is a small fruit about 
the size of an apricot. Its skin is rough and of a 
brown color. The fruit is sweet and very agreeable 


226 


NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


to the taste of most persons, although some people 
find it rather mawkish. The melon zapote is also 
grown in Cuba. 

Roseapple.—This fruit is about the size of an 
apricot or a little larger. It has an odor of the attar 
of roses. 

Custard Apple.—A green-colored fruit with a 
very white pulp. 

Star Apple.—Has the appearance of a star when 
cut open.— Its flavor is rich, and the pulp is of a 
greenish color. 

Anon.—A fine, richly-flavored fruit, also called 
sugar apple. 

Mamey.—Spelled also marmnee. It grows on a 
tree of considerable height, and is about the size of 
a cantaloupe. It has a peculiar flavor, and is greatly 
relished by the natives. 

Aguacate, or Alligator Pear. — It is generally 
eaten with salt and pepper, and is also used as a 
salad and in soups. It is from 2\ to 3J inches in 
length, and has a somewhat oily flavor. It grows 
upon the taste. It is very nutritious and is an aid 
to digestion. It also has a number of other names, 
as ahnacate, chico, avocado and vegetable butter. 

Zapotilla.—The fruit is the size of a small apple, 
and is very pleasant to the taste. 

Mango.—A fine fruit not unlike, in color and 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 227 

shape, the California pear. It grows on a tree re¬ 
sembling very much the common apple tree. It is 
very juicy and has a pleasant acid taste. 

Guava or Guayaba.—This grows on a good-sized 
tree. It is always on the table in the form of a 
brownish-colored jelly and paste. The natives are 
extravagantly fond of this jelly. 

The citron, tamarind, guanabana, bread fruit and 
other varieties of fruit not grown in temperate 
climes are common to the island. 

Oranges.—Comparatively little has as yet been 
done in the way of orange growing, except by a few 
fruit-growers from Florida. The Cuban orange is 
very sweet, of a good flavor, and full of seeds. It has 
been doubted whether Cuban oranges can ever be 
made to attain the excellence in flavor of the Florida 
orange. That remains to be seen. Thousands of 
orange trees from Florida have within the last year 
been planted in Cuba, and are giving fine results. 
Groves of several hundreds of acres in extent will be 
very common there within a few years. 

It is the opinion of some growers of experience 
that fertilizers should be used in Cuba in this busi¬ 
ness. A grove, if carefully attended to, should be 
in full bearing in from five to seven years. Many 
advise setting pineapple plants between the rows, 
until the grove is in bearing. 


228 


NORTON’S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 


Lemons and limes, as well as oranges, grow wild 
in Cuba. There are some lemon groves, and the 
annual sales of lemons now amount to $15,000,000, 
but this industry is only in its infancy. Peaches, 
pears and plums, of the varieties raised in the 
Southern States and in California, can also be grown 
in Cuba, and experienced fruit-growers have al¬ 
ready set out orchards of these fruits. In a com¬ 
paratively short time, it will undoubtedly be demon¬ 
strated that the soil and climate of Cuba will pro¬ 
duce them in great abundance. With cheap ocean 
freights, there is no reason, it would seem, why 
Cuba should not successfully compete in respect to 
these fruits with the Southern States and with Cali¬ 
fornia, in the markets of the North. 

RAILROADS. 

The following table gives the names of the rail¬ 
roads of Cuba together with other important infor¬ 
mation i 1 

Table of the extension of the operating railroads 
of this island divided according to the law on the 
matter. 


1 General Brooke’s “Report,” 319-320. 




Commercial Traveler, Eighteenth Century, Province of 
Pinar Del Rio. 













OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


229 


Names of the 
Companies. 

United Railway of 
Habana . 


Nuevitas to Pto. 
Principe R. R 
Co. 


Cardenas and Ju- 
caro R. R. Co. 


Operating Ex¬ 
tension. 

Lines Included. Partial. Total. 

General Service. Kilo- Kilo- 

Habana R. R. Co.: meters. 1 meters. 
Habana to Giiines.... 72.087 

Giiines to Palos.30.899 

Palos to Union. 21.323 

Rincon to San Antonio 12.874 
San Antonio to Guana- 

jay . 21.246 

San Felipe to Batabano 15.550 
Giiines to Matanzas. . 57.950 
Sabana de Robles to 

Madruga . 6.440 

Habana Bay R. R. Co.: 

Regia to Matanzas.... 87.000 
Matanzas to Coliseo.. 37.515 

Coliseo to Bemba. 17-735 

Regia to Guanabacoa.. 4.800 

Connecting branch be¬ 
tween Habana Har¬ 
bor, Coliseo and Ma¬ 
tanzas Railroads.800 

Connecting branch be¬ 
tween Habana Har¬ 
bor and the Habana 
United between Reg¬ 


ia and Cienaga. 8.000 394.219 

Nuevitas to Pto. Prin¬ 
cipe .. 71-356 

Extension to the Guin- 

cho inlet. 2.334 

Branch between the 
Station and the Nue¬ 
vitas warehouses.313 74.003 

Cardenas to Bemba.... 27.935 
Bemba to Navajas 

(Montalvo) . 15.883 

Jucaro to Pijuan. 34039 

Recreo to Sabanilla... 6.900 


1 A kilometer is 3,280.8 feet. 

















230 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


Names of the 
Companies. 


Matanzas R. R. 
Co. 


La Prueba R. R. 
Co. 


Cuban Central 
Rwy. 


Operating Ex¬ 
tension. 

Lines Included. Partial. Total. 

General Service. Kilo- Kilo- 
Habana R. R. Co.: meters, meters. 
Connection with the 
line of Jucaro to 

Palmilla . 27.708 

Bemba to Agiiica.42.309 

Agiiica to Macagua... 10.943 
Connecting branch be¬ 
tween the lines of 
Cardenas and Jucaro 6.366 

Sabanilla to Itabo. 16.109 

Macagua to Esperanza 73.579 
Pijuan to Calimete.... 27.360 
Connecting curve be¬ 
tween the lines of 


Pinillos and Ceruti 

streets .250 

Cardenas to Pizarro .. 6,330 295,711 

Matanzas to Navajas.. 57.129 

Navajas to Isabel. 14483 

Isabel to Mulato 

(Baro) . 24.145 

Navajas to Tramojos 

(Pedroso) . 8.500 

Tramojos to Claudio 

(Torriente) . 11.317 

Mulato to Guareiras.. 10.360 125.934 

Regia to Guanabacoa 

(tramway) . 4.000 

Extension by Guanaba¬ 
coa streets.918 4.918 

Cienfuegos to Santa 

Clara . 68.528 

Caibarien to Remedios. 9.130 
Remedios to San An¬ 
dres . 36.850 


San Andres to Placetas 8.073 
Connecting branch be¬ 
tween the line of Cai¬ 
barien R. R. and that 
on the Marina street, 
Caibarien . 2.400 


















OF HAVANA AND CUBA 2 v ^J 

Operating Ex- 

Names of the tension. 

Companies. Lines Included. Partial. Total. 

General Service. Kilo- Kilo- 
Habana R. R. Co.: meters, meters. 



From Sagua port or 
Concha to Cifuentes. 
Cifuentes to Encruci- 

36.147 



jada . 

Encrucijada to Cama- 

juani . 

Sitiecito to Cruces.... 

20.165 

24.629 

55-927 

261.849 

Guantanamo 

R. 

R. Co. 





Guayabo . 

From half a mile before 

11,500 



Cerro Guayabo to 
the Caimanera. 

8.925 



Santa Catalina to Ja- 



maica. 

5-400 



Cuatro Caminos to 




Soledad . 

•723 

26.548 

Santiago de Cuba 



R. R. Co... 

. .. From Santiago de 




Cuba to Cristo and 
branches to Sabanilla 
and. Maroto. 


33-507 

Marianao R. 

R. 



Co. 

... Habana to Marianao.. 
Connecting br’nch with 

9-650 



the Habana R. R. in 
Cienaga . 

.298 



Branch from Marianao 




to the Playa. 

3-349 

13.297 

Urbana de la Ha- 



bana . 

... From San Francisco to 




Carmelo, San Juan 
de Dios to Cerro, and 
from Cristina bridge 
to Jesus del Monte 
(street cars). 


19.882 


Tunas a Sancti 
Spiritus R. R. 

Co.Tunas to Sancti Spir¬ 
itus . 38.623 

Gibara to H. R. 

R. Co.Gibara to Holguin. 36-425 




















232 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


Names of the 
Companies. 


Western Rwy. of 
Habana . 


United Rwy. of 
Habana . 


Matanzas R. R. 
Co. 


Cardenas and Ju- 
caro R.R.Co.... 


Cuban Central 
Rwy. 


Operating Ex¬ 
tension. 

Lines Included. Partial. Total. 

General Service. Kilo- Kilo- 

Habana R. R. Co.: meters, meters. 

Habana to Pinar del 

Rio .177.210 

Connecting br’nch with 
the Habana United 

R. R. in Rincon.411 177.621 

Private Service and 
Public Use. 

Connecting br’nch fr’m 
Union Station of the 
United R. R. to Al¬ 
fonso XII. 6.196 

And from Coliseo Sta¬ 
tion to the Guama- 
caro Valley. 16.000 22.196 

Guareiras to Colon.... 10.000 
Navajas to Atrevido... 15.500 
Torriente to Jagiiey 

Grande . 14.000 

Branch from Giiira to 
several plantations 
toward the south.... 14.000 
Guareiras to Cumanay- 

agua . 14.650 

Branch to Cabezas.... 18.600 
Jagiiey Grande to 
Murga . 11485 98.235 

Calimete to Amarillas. 6.374 
Amarillas to Aguada.. 13.122 
Aguada to Yaguaramas 19.350 38.846 

Palmira to Parque Alto 25.000 
From the 43rd kilome¬ 
ter of the Cienfuegos 
line to San Juan de 

los Yeros. 8.000 

Caibarien to Zaza in 
P 1 a c e t as (narrow 
gauge) . 35700 















OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


233 

XT . . Operating Ex- 

Names of the tension. 

Companies. Lines Included. Partial. Total. 

General Service. Kilo- Kilo- 
Habana R. R. Co.: meters, meters. 
Sagua to Chinchilla 

(narrow gauge). 8,720 

Chinchilla to Cagua- 
guas (narrow gauge) 6,600 

Branch from the 52d 
kilometer of the 
Sagua line to Calaba- 
zar . 3.000 87.020 

Emilio Terry 
(concession¬ 
ary) .From the Caracas 

sugar plantation to 
the Limones district. 25.000 
From the 18th kilome¬ 
ter of Caracas line to 
the Salado River.... 16.000 41.000 

Private Service. 

244 of this kind have 
been authorized from 
the Spanish Govern¬ 
ment, with 660 kilo¬ 
meters of total length. 

We do not specify in 
this division as be¬ 
fore, because we have 
not been able yet to 
obtain exact notices 
of all the lines of this 
class that are operat¬ 
ing again. 


SUMMARY. Kilometers.’ 

General service.1,502.537 

Private service and public use. 287.297 

Private service (nearly). 660.000 


Total.2,449.834* 


GUILLERMO F. RIVA, 

Inspector of Railroads for the Island of Cuba. 
Habana, August 15, 1899. 


1 A kilometer is .62137 of one mile. 











234 Norton’s complete hand-book 

The total number of miles, therefore, is something 
over 1,400. 

Sir William Van Horne, formerly president of the 
Canadian Pacific Railway, is at the head of a syndi¬ 
cate of English, Canadian and New York capitalists, 
which has purchased many of the railroads of Cuba 
and intends to secure the remainder, with a view to 
consolidating all the railroads in the island under its 
control. Cuba will unquestionably have, within a 
comparatively short time, an excellent and complete 
railroad system, as this syndicate intends to extend 
some of the lines already acquired and to build new 
ones in the immediate future. 

INVESTMENTS. 

With one of the richest soils and finest climates 
in the world, with vast mineral resources, with its 
capacity for growing not only a great variety of 
tropical and subtropical fruits and vegetables, but 
also many of those raised in the temperate zones, 
with its numerous fine harbors, and with many 
other advantages, among which is its location in 
close proximity to numerous other islands and to 
the United States, Mexico, Central and South 
America, Cuba would seem to offer unexcelled op¬ 
portunities for profitable investments. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


235 


Sir William Van Horne, to whom reference has 
just been made, has for himself and other capital¬ 
ists, purchased vast tracts of timber lands in the 
island, showing his and their confidence in the future 
prosperity of that country. A very large amount of 
English, German, French and Spanish capital is 
already invested there in different enterprfses. 
Within the last year or two many New England and 
New York capitalists have made large investments 
in Cuba, and Southern capitalists have also invested 
heavily there. With a population of only about 
1,500,000, and with the capability of easily support¬ 
ing at least 10,000,000 of people, it can readily be 
seen that a vast amount of money will be required 
for the purposes of opening up and ■ settling the 
island, for building roads and for improvements of 
every kind. There is probably no other field where 
a person with even moderate means can obtain bet¬ 
ter returns for the money invested than in Cuba. 


236 Norton’s complete hand-book 


CUBA. 

ITS ADMINISTRATION UNDER SPANISH RULE. 1 

The government of Cuba by Spain was essentially 
that of a military despotism. At its head was the 
Captain-General, who, by virtue of his office, was 
also Governor-General of the island. He bore both 
titles. He was appointed by the Crown and his term 
of office was from three to five years. His military 
rank was that of Lieutenant-General. He had a 
Spanish army of 13,000 troops. The Cubans paid 
for its maintenance. He was the supreme head of 
the civil, ecclesiastical, military and naval organiza¬ 
tions in the island. He appointed one of the three 
persons selected by each provincial assembly to be 
the speaker of that assembly. But he could, if he 
chose, appoint any other member to this position. 
As Governor-General, he could overrule any de¬ 
cision of any court, and could “suspend any law or 
order emanating from the government.” 

The Governor-General had a “Council of Admin- 

1 The account here given of the Spanish system of gov¬ 
ernment for Cuba is taken from General Brooke’s “Re¬ 
port,” from “Military Notes on Cuba,” and especially 
from “Census of Cuba,” 1899, Bulletin No. I. 



Entrance to Quinta Molinos, Summer Residence of Captain Geuerals—General 
Gomez in Center Talking With Some Ladies—Havana. 









OF HAVANA AND CUBA 237 

istration,” composed of 30 members, 15 appointed 
by the crown and 15 elected by the provinces. Elec¬ 
tions were manipulated in such a way that the 
Government generally had a large majority. The 
Governor-General could suspend from 1 to 14 of 
the members at his will. 

The Governor-General was assisted in the duties 
of his office by a ‘‘Council of Authorities.” This 
was an advisory body, and, besides, it prepared the 
budget and passed resolutions on necessary public 
matters. The Governor-General could affirm or re¬ 
ject these resolutions. The Council of Authorities 
was composed of the Archbishop of Santiago, the 
Bishop of Havana, the commanding officers of the 
army and navy, the Chief Justice of the Audiencia 
of Havana, the Attorney-General, the head of the 
Department of Finance, and the Director of the 
local administration. The heads of the departments, 
except that of the Executive Department, were 
members of the Council. The Council met when¬ 
ever a case arose requiring its action. 

Each province had a Governor, who was ap¬ 
pointed by the Captain-General, and who could be 
removed by the latter. The provincial Governor’s 
salary ranged from $4,000 to $6,000, Spanish gold, 
according as to whether his province was a first, 

second, or third class province. The provincial Gov- 
10 


238 Norton’s complete hand-book 

ernor was generally an officer of the army with the 
rank of Major-General or Brigadier-General. He 
was responsible to the Captain-General. 

Each province had an Assembly, or “Provincial 
Deputation/’ composed of from 12 to 20 members, 
who were elected by the voters of the province. The 
elections were held early in September, and the 
Assembly had two sessions a year, one in November 
and the other in April. The members were elected 
for four years. Three candidates for the speaker- 
ship were balloted for by the Assembly, and the 
Captain-General appointed one of the three selected, 
to be its Speaker. He might, however, appoint any 
other member of the Assembly to this office. 

The Governor of the province, could, if he so de¬ 
sired, preside over the Assembly, and could vote if 
he wished. He had power to prorogue the Assembly 
and report his action to the Governor-General, who 
in turn, might prorogue any of the provincial as¬ 
semblies and report the fact to the Government in 
Spain. The provincial Governor nominated five 
members of the Assembly, for the Governor-General 
to confirm, as a local Cabinet, or “Provincial Com¬ 
mittee.” 

The Governor of the province inspected the coun¬ 
cils and the municipalities, and reported to the 
Governor-General. He was responsible for the 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


239 


public order of the province, and its military author¬ 
ities were under his control. 

The Assembly, or Provincial Deputation, had 
control over the public roads, harbors, navigation, 
immigration and all kinds of public works of the 
province, of charitable institutions, of those of in¬ 
struction, of fairs, expositions, and the like, and of 
the provincial funds. The Governor appointed a 
secretary, auditor and treasurer of the Deputation 
on its recommendation. The American Military 
Governor of the island abolished the Provincial 
Deputation by an order, dated February 24, 1899, 
and the government of the provinces is now vested 
in the civil governors. 

The political unit of the Spanish system of gov¬ 
ernment is the “Municipal District.” “Under the 
laws of Spain a municipality is the legal association 
of all persons who reside in a municipal district, 
and is represented by a municipal council as a 
financial administrative corporation. A municipal 
district is the territory under the administration of 
a municipal council.” 1 

A municipal district nearly corresponds to the 
township or to the county in the United States, and 
each district must contain at least 2,000 inhabitants. 
Each municipal district forms part of a judicial dis- 


1 “Census of Cuba,” Bulletin No. I, 5. 



240 NORTON’S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

trict. The six provinces of Cuba contain, all told, 
31 judicial districts and 132 municipal districts. 

Each municipal district is divided into sub¬ 
districts, the latter into barrios, or wards, and, for 
political purposes, the sub-districts are also divided 
into electoral districts, and the latter into electoral 
sections. The seat of government of the municipal 
district is the principal town or city in the district. 

Each municipal district has a “Municipal Council” 
and a “Municipal Board.” The Council is composed 
of a mayor, deputy-mayors, and aldermen selected 
from the members of the Council. The latter gov¬ 
erns the district, subject to the control of the pro¬ 
vincial governor and of the military governor of 
the island. 

Each district is entitled to a number of councilors 
as follows: 

Up to 500 inhabitants, 5. 

Between 500 and 800 inhabitants, 6. 

Between 800 and 1,000 inhabitants, 7. 

Between 1,000 and 10,000 inhabitants, an additional 
councilor for each additional 1,000. 

Between 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants, an additional 
councilor for each additional 2,000. 

For more than 20.000, one for every additional 2,000. 
Thirty councilors is the greatest number any municipal 
district is allowed. 

A municipal district containing less than 800 inhab¬ 
itants has no deputy mayor. 

If it contains between 800 and 1,000 inhabitants, it has 
one deputy mayor. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 24I 

If it contains between 1,000 and 6,000 inhabitants, it 
has two deputy mayors. 

If it contains between 6,000 and 10,000 inhabitants, it 
has three deputy mayors. 

If it contains between 10,000 and 18,000 inhabitants, it 
has four deputy mayors. 

If it contains more than 18,000 inhabitants, it has five 
deputy mayors. 

Up to 800 inhabitants there is one sub-district. 

Between 800 and 1,000 inhabitants there are two sub¬ 
districts. 

Thereafter the number corresponds to the number of 
deputy mayors. Each deputy mayor has charge of one 
sub-district, under the direction of the mayor. 

Up to 3,000 inhabitants there is one electoral district. 

Between 3,000 and 6,000 inhabitants there are three 
electoral districts. 

Between 6,000 and 10,000 inhabitants there are four 
electoral districts. 

Between 10,000 and 18,000 inhabitants there are five 
electoral districts. 

For 18,000 or more inhabitants there are six electoral 
districts. 

The members of the council are elected by the 
voters of the municipality, one-half being renewed 
every two years. The regular elections occur the 
first two weeks in May. The qualified voters are 
male citizens over 25 years of age. They must have 
lived at least two years in the municipality. 

The council elected its mayor from its own mem¬ 
bers. At present, the Military Governor appoints 
the mayor and deputy-mayors of each municipality 
from among the councilors, on their recommenda- 


242 Norton’s complete hand-book 

tion, but may, if he choose, appoint a person as 
mayor not belonging to the council or municipal dis¬ 
trict. Each ward has a mayor, appointed by the 
mayor of the municipality, who keeps a register of 
the horses, mules and cattle in his ward, and who 
acts in other matters under the direction of the 
deputy-mayor of the sub-district to which his ward 
belongs. 

Each Municipal Council has a secretary, now ap¬ 
pointed by the Military Governor, on the recom¬ 
mendation of the Council. The Council appoints 
from among its members, one or more procuradores 
sindicos , or fiscal attorneys, who represent the Coun¬ 
cil in litigation, and who revise and audit all local 
accounts and budgets. 

Those members of the Council who, after it is 
fully organized, have not been appointed to other 
offices in the Council are called aldermen. The 
mayor and secretary of the Municipality are the 
only officers who have a salary. The mayor and 
deputy-mayors must vote on every resolution, and 
they and the fiscal attorneys have the right to speak 
on all questions. 

The mayor presides over the meetings of the 
Council and represents it at all times. In case of a 
tie his vote decides. He cannot veto nor can he 
exercise the appointing power. The Council makes 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 243 

up committees, which are similar in their duties and 
powers to departments and boards of municipal gov¬ 
ernments in the United States. 

The Municipal Council must meet at least once 
each week. If members are absent from the meet¬ 
ing they pay fines. The provincial Governor can 
suspend the mayor, the deputy-mayors, the aider- 
men, and also the resolutions of the Council. The 
Military Governor can remove all municipal officers, 
and appoint others to their places, and can modify 
or annul the proceedings of the Council. 

The Municipal Board consists of the Municipal 
Council and an equal number of Associate Members, 
elected from among the taxpayers of the district. 
The associate members hold office for a year. This 
Board has the duty of revising the annual budget of 
municipal expense as prepared by the Council, and 
to fix the amount of taxes according to the law. 

The mayor is called in Spanish Alcalde and the 
Municipal Council is named the Ayuntamiento. 
The Municipal Board is also called the Municipal 
Junta. 

“The Judicial system of the island, beginning with 
the lowest court, consisted of the municipal courts, 
the jurisdiction of whose judges was local, for minor 
criminal offenses; the courts of first instance 1 and 


1 Primer a instancia. 



244 Norton’s complete hand-book 

instruction, which formed the lower branch of the 
judicial organization of the state; the audiencias, or 
provincial courts, one for each province, but only 
three of which (those at Habana, Matanzas and 
Santiago) had both civil and criminal jurisdiction; 
the other three had criminal jurisdiction only, the 
civil cases in the province of Pinar del Rio coming 
before the audiencia at Habana, those of the prov¬ 
ince of Santa Clara going to Matanzas, and those 
of Puerto Principe to Santiago. The supreme 
court (tribunal supremo) was at Madrid.” 1 The 
first class of audiencias were called territorial, and 
the second, de lo criminal. 

On January 9, 1879, an act was passed allowing 
Cuba representation in the Spanish Cortes. The 
Province of Havana sent three senators to Madrid, 
and the other provinces, two each. The Arch¬ 
bishopric of Santiago sent one, the University of 
Havana one, and the Society of Friends of the 
Country, one. 

Thirty deputies, one deputy for every 50,000 of 
inhabitants, elected by the people, represented the 
island in the House of Deputies at Madrid. Only 
a few native Cubans were sent to the House, the 
majority of those to which the island was entitled 
being natives of Spain. 


1 General Brooke’s “Report,” 165, 249. 





Dining Room—U. S. Troops, Camp Columbia, Thanksgiving Day, 1899. 











OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


245 


MILITARY OCCUPATION OF CUBA BY 
THE UNITED STATES. 1 

The last fight of the war in Cuba was the bom¬ 
bardment of Manzanillo during the afternoon and 
night of August 12, 1898. On that day, a protocol 
was signed at Washington, providing for the imme¬ 
diate cessation of hostilities, and for the meeting of 
commissioners at Paris, not later than October 1, 
1898, for the purpose of negotiating a treaty of 
peace. The treaty of Paris was the result of the 
conference of the peace commissioners. This treaty 
was signed at Paris, December 12, 1898. 

On July 17, 1898, Gen. Jose Toral, the Spanish 
commander, surrendered, under the terms of a mili¬ 
tary convention July 16, 1898, the city of Santiago 
de Cuba together with that portion of the province 
of Santiago lying east of a line drawn through Acer- 
raderos, Dos Palmas, Cauto and Aguilera, to Gen¬ 
eral Shafter, and Gen. C. McKibben was appoint¬ 
ed Military Governor. 2 On July 20, 1898, Gen. 
Leonard Wood was appointed Military Governor 

1 General Brooke’s “Report” has been made the basis 
of the account here given of the Military Government 
of the island by the United States. 

2 George Clarke Musgrave, “Under Three Flags in 
Cuba,” 346. 



246 Norton’s complete hand-book 

of that city and of that part of the Province of San¬ 
tiago surrendered by the terms of the military con¬ 
vention of July 16, 1898, and later became Military 
Governor of all that province together with that 
of Puerto Principe. The military occupation of 
the island, in the strict sense of that term, except 
the portion under General Wood’s governorship, 
did not begin until January 1, 1899. 1 

During the period between the close of the war 
and the commencement of the military occupation 
of Cuba, the civil government of the island was in 
a chaotic condition. In many cases the judicial, 
municipal and provincial officials resigned, and their 
places were filled by the Spanish commanders from 
the Autonomist party. Cubans were in many cases 
elected to municipal offices. In some portions of 
the island all civil government ceased. In fact, it 
is difficult to characterize the exact condition of 
Cuba during this period, so far as it relates to the 
administration of civil government. 


1 Prior to this date, however, the other provinces had 
come, one after another, under the command of differ¬ 
ent generals; the province of Puerto Principe, under that 
of Gen. G. H. Carpenter; of Matanzas, under that of Gen. 
James H. Wilson; of Santa Clara, under that of Gen. 
John C. Bates; of Pinar del Rio, under that of Gen. Geo. 
W. Davis, and of Havana, under that of Gen. Fitzhugh 
Lee. Charles M. Pepper, “Tomorrow in Cuba,” 294. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


247 


ORGANIZATION OF MILITARY GOVERNMENT. 

December 13, 1898, President McKinley issued an 
order (General Orders, No. 184), creating a divi¬ 
sion to be known as the Division of Cuba, “consist- 
ting of the geographical departments and provinces 
of the island of Cuba, with headquarters at the city 
of Habana.” Maj.-Gen. John R. Brooke, by the 
same order, was appointed Military Governor of the 
Division of Cuba, and was to continue in command 
of the troops in the island. 

December 27, 1898, General Brooke arrived in 
Havana, and January 1, 1899, at 12:30 p. m., the 
last Spanish troops were on board transports in 
the harbor of that city. At 12:00 o’clock noon on 
that day, the ceremonies of the relinquishment by 
Spain of sovereignty over the island of Cuba, took 
place in the Governor-General’s Palace. There were 
present Jimenez Castellanos, the Captain-General, 
and his staff, Military Governor John R. Brooke and 
his staff, Maj.-Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, Maj.-Gen. Wil¬ 
liam Ludlow, Maj.-Gen. J. Warren Keiffer, and 
their staffs, and nine Cuban Generals, the guests of 
General Brooke. The Captain-General made a 
speech and this was replied to by General Wade, 
Chairman of the United States Evacuation Com¬ 
mittee. 


248 Norton’s complete hand-book 


CIVIL DEPARTMENTS. 

On January 11, 1899, General Brooke issued an 
order creating four departments to administer the 
civil affairs of the island: 

1. The Department of State and Government. 

2. The Department of Finance. 

3. The Department of Justice and Public In¬ 
struction. 

4. The Department of Agriculture, Commerce, 
Industries and Public Works. 

January 12, 1899, General Brooke appointed the 
following gentlemen secretaries of these depart¬ 
ments : 

Domingo Mendez Capote, Secretarv of Depart¬ 
ment of State. 

Pablo Desvernine, Secretary of Department of 
Finance. 

Jose Antonio Gonzales Lanuza, Secretary of De¬ 
partment of Justice, etc. 

Adolfo Saenz Yanez, Secretary of Department 
of Agriculture, etc. 

MILITARY DEPARTMENTS. 

The Division of Cuba was subdivided into four 
military departments as follows: 

1. Department of the West, composed of the 


s 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 249 

provinces of Pinar del Rio and Havana, exclusive 
of the City of Havana. 

2. Department of the Center, composed of the 
provinces of Matanzas and Santa Clara. 

3. Department of the East, composed of the 
provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Puerto Principe. 

4. Department of the City of Havana, including 
the municipalities of Regia, Guanabacoa and Santa 
Maria del Rosario,—55 square miles. 

Gen. William Ludlow was appointed Military 
Governor of the Department of the City of Ha¬ 
vana, General Orders, No. 134, December 13, 1898; 
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee was appointed Military Gov¬ 
ernor of the Department of the West; Gen. James 
H. Wilson was appointed Military Governor of the 
Department of the Center, and Gen. Leonard Wood 
was appointed Military Governor of the Depart¬ 
ment of the East. 

ORGANIZATION OF SUPREME COURT. 

Under Spanish rule, the court of last resort for 
insular litigation was the supreme court at Madrid. 
When Spain relinquished her sovereignty over 
Cuba, the jurisdiction of the supreme court at Ma¬ 
drid ceased, so far as that island was concerned. 
It became necessary for the military government, 
when the island came under its rule, to organize a 


250 NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

supreme court to take the place of the one which 
had disappeared with the fall of Spanish sovereign¬ 
ty. 

The Military Governor published an order April 
14, 1899, creating a Supreme Court, to sit in the 
capital, Havana, and to have jurisdiction throughout 
Cuban territory. It was to be composed of a presi¬ 
dent, or chief justice, and six associate justices, 
with a fiscal (prosecuting attorney), clerks, etc. 

This court acts in two characters, as a court of 
justice and in an administrative capacity. As a 
court of justice it sits as a single body, and con¬ 
sists of the president and his six associate justices. 
Five justices constitute a quorum for the purpose of 
rendering judgment, except in cases of appeals from 
sentences involving capital punishment or “per¬ 
petual” penalties, when the seven members must all 
sit at the hearing. In all cases a majority of the 
court must concur in the decisions. 

This court as a court of justice has jurisdiction in 
five kinds of criminal actions, which are designated 
in the order creating the court; in actions for civil 
liabilities against the chief justice, and certain other 
persons named; in the matter of the review of the 
rulings of the audiencias denying the right of appeal 
to the supreme court, in cases in which are alleged 
errors of law, of legal doctrine, or defects in pro- 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 25 1 

cedure; in cases of petitions for annulment of judg¬ 
ment for alleged error in law or legal doctrine, when 
the hearing of such petitions has been admitted; in 
cases of petitions for amendment of judgments 
for defects of form in procedure, where the peti¬ 
tions have been admitted; in cases of petitions for 
revision in civil, criminal, and administrative mat¬ 
ters (contencioso administrative )); in the execution 
of decisions rendered by foreign courts in accord¬ 
ance with treaties and laws; in extradition pro¬ 
ceedings in such cases wherein the supreme court 
has jurisdiction, and in some other cases. Criminal 
cases coming under any of the five heads before 
mentioned, over which the supreme court has 
original and exclusive jurisdiction, are to be tried 
orally and in public. 

When in administrative session, the supreme 
court is composed of the president and associate 
justices of the court, but in this case the fiscal, or 
assistant fiscal, must be present and shall have the 
right to speak and vote. Five members of the 
court constitute a quorum for business. All de¬ 
cisions must be made by a majority of the members 
present. 

Sitting in its administrative capacity, it is to 
supervise the administration of justice throughout 
Cuban territory, to make reports when the govern- 


252 Norton’s complete hand-book 

ment requests, concerning the administration of 
justice, organization of courts and the like, and it 
has a number of other somewhat similar duties to 
perform. The president receives an annual salary 
of $6,000, the fiscal $5,700, and each associate judge 
$5,000. 

“The supreme court which we have now in Cuba 
can be said to reproduce in its essentials the supreme 
court of Spain.” 1 The supreme court for Cuba, as 
organized under the military government, differs 
from the supreme court of Spain, in that it has but 
one court of justice, while the one in Spain has 
three branches, one for civil affairs, one for criminal 
cases and a third which decides as to the admission 
of the “ recourses ” 2 called “ ‘for error in law or legal 
doctrine.’ ” “But in the essential character this 
court, like the one in Spain, is a court of abrogation 
and revision (casacion and revision), appeals for an¬ 
nulment of judgment and revision to determine 
whether appeal shall be admitted or denied.” 3 

Appeals for annulment of judgment carry before 
the supreme court mere questions of right. The 
audiencias decide in a final manner as to the facts. 

1 Report of J. A. G. Lanuza, Secretary of Justice, etc., 
to General Brooke, dated Sept. 16, 1899. General Brooke’s 
“Report,” 252. 

2 That is, appeals. 

3 General Brooke’s “Report,” 252. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


253 


The supreme court deals, in this case, merely with 
the question of error in law or error in the essential 
form of procedure. The insular court has original 
jurisdiction in certain criminal cases, as before 
stated, which the supreme court of Spain did not 
have. 

The Spanish supreme court decides whether ap¬ 
peals from the judgments of the audiencias shall 
be admitted, and if admitted, it then renders judg¬ 
ment upon the main question. As now organized, 
the supreme court of Cuba simply passes upon the 
main question, the audiencias determining whether 
appeals shall be allowed or denied. 

REORGANIZATION OF THE AUDIENCIAS. 

Under the Spanish administration of the island of 
Cuba, there were six audiencias , or provincial courts, 
viz.: Those of Pinar del Rio, Havana, Matanzas, 
Santa Clara, Puerto Principe and Santiago de Cuba, 
one for each of the provinces of the island. 

The audiencias of Havana, Matanzas and San¬ 
tiago de Cuba had both civil and criminal juris¬ 
diction, and were known as “territorial” audiencias; 
the audiencia of Havana had cognizance of the civil 
cases of the province of Havana and of Pinar del 
Rio; that of Matanzas, of the civil cases of that 

province and of those of Santa Clara, and that of 
17 


254 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Santiago de Cuba, over the civil cases of that prov¬ 
ince and of those of Puerto Principe. The audi- 
encias of Pinar del Rio, Santa Clara and Puerto 
Principe had jurisdiction of criminal cases only, 
each being limited in its jurisdiction merely to the 
criminal cases of its own province. These latter 
three audiencias were known as de lo criminal. It 
will be seen that “each province had thus its own 
criminal jurisdiction, and every two provinces had 
a court of appeals with civil jurisdiction.” 

The audiencia of Havana had a special and higher 
rank, those of Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba came 
next, and the lowest in rank were the three de lo 
criminal courts. 

As now constituted under an order of the Military 
Governor, published June 15, 1899, all six audiencias 
have both civil and criminal jurisdiction, limited to 
their respective provinces. All are of equal rank, 
except that the audiencia of Havana has a superior 
rank in certain respects, viz.: it has a larger number 
of judges and other officials, its officers receive 
somewhat higher salaries, and it has the conten- 
cioso administrativo jurisdiction in addition to its 
civil and criminal jurisdiction. 1 

1 The Military Governor of the island appoints the 
judges of each audiencia. The audiencias have original 
jurisdiction in all criminal cases from petit larceny to 
murder. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


255 


Questions of an administrative character gave 
rise, under Spanish rule, to suits brought by parties 
against the administration. If the government pub¬ 
lished an order not appealable before a higher 
authority of the government, the question, conten- 
cioso administrative) , could be taken before a court 
having jurisdiction of the matter. There were vari¬ 
ous cases in which this jurisdiction might be exer¬ 
cised, but it could not be exercised in any case over 
which the ordinary civil or criminal courts had juris¬ 
diction, nor in any case where the officer of govern¬ 
ment had discretional authority. Under the Spanish 
system, a special court, composed of associate jus¬ 
tices of the sala de lo civil of the Havana audiencia 
and members of the “ ‘permanent commission’ ” of 
the provincial deputation, administrative officers, 
exercised this jurisdiction. Under the reorganiza¬ 
tion of the audiencias this contencioso administra¬ 
tive) jurisdiction was assigned to the audiencia of 
Havana. 

The audiencia of Havana in its civil and adminis¬ 
trative branch (sala de lo civil y contencioso ) has 
a president and four associate justices; in its crim¬ 
inal branch, (sala de lo criminal), it has a president 
of the court (sala), who presides over one section 
of this court, and two associate justices; the other 
section of this court is composed of three associate 


256 Norton’s complete hand-book 


justices presided over by the senior associate justice; 
sitting in administrative session, or sala de gobierno, 
it is then composed of its president, the presiding 
justice of the criminal court, the two senior asso¬ 
ciate justices of the audiencia, and the fiscal. 

The audiencias of Matanzas, Santa Clara, and 
Santiago de Cuba are composed of a president and 
four associate justices, each; and those of Pinar del 
Rio and Puerto Principe are composed of a president 
and three associate justices, each. 

The audiencia of Havana has a fiscal (prosecut¬ 
ing attorney), an assistant fiscal and five deputy fis¬ 
cals. The other audiencias have each a fiscal and 
assistant fiscal. In all the audiencias there are 
secretaries, clerks, etc., and “substitute justices,” 
who must be lawyers in good standing, to sit in case 
a number of justices are unable to be present, suffi¬ 
cient to decide the issue. All the other audiencias, 
as well as that of Havana, also sit in administrative 


session (de gobierno). 

The president of the audiencia of Havana 

receives an annual salary of. $5,500 

The president of the criminal court of Ha¬ 
vana receives an annual salary of. 5,000 

The fiscal of the audiencia of Havana re¬ 
ceives an annual salary of. 5,000 

The associate justices of this audiencia re¬ 
ceive, each, an annual salary of. 4,500 

The presidents of the other audiencias 

receive, each, an annual salary of. 4,500 







OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


257 


The fiscals of the other audiencias receive, 

each, an annual salary of. $4,250 

The associate justices of the other audiencias 

receive, each, an annual salary of. 4,000 


Sitting as courts of justice, the audiencias have 
jurisdiction over business and decide cases referred 
to them by the laws of procedure, and other pro¬ 
visions relating to this subject. In administrative 
session, they exercise powers similar to those exer¬ 
cised by the supreme court, when sitting in ad¬ 
ministrative session, but their powers and jurisdic¬ 
tion are confined to their judicial territory. They 
also exercise certain powers of recommendation to 
the Military Governor, as to the filling of some par¬ 
ticular positions in cases of vacancy. 

“Wherein the audiencias have remained as they 
were is in their jurisdiction, or rather (as civil juris¬ 
diction has been given to three that did not have 
it), in what constituted the essential being of such 
judicial organizations. In fact, now, as formerly, 
the audiencias, in whatever concerns their civil juris¬ 
diction, are courts of appeal that have cognizance 
of cases established against judgments ren¬ 
dered by judges of primera instancia; and in what¬ 
ever concerns criminal jurisdiction they are courts 
composed of several justices with original jurisdic¬ 
tion, who have cognizance of ‘oral and public trials’ 
in criminal cases whose preliminary proceedings 




258 Norton’s complete hand-book 

have been carried before the judge of instruction.” 1 

COURTS OF THE FIRST INSTANCE AND MUNICIPAL 

COURTS. 

Merely to present a symmetrical view of the whole 
insular judicial system, a brief account of the courts 
of first instance (primer a instancia) and of the mu¬ 
nicipal courts, is here added. 

In each municipal district there is one municipal 
court, and in some districts there are two or more 
such courts, composed of a judge, a secretary and a 
clerk, the latter also acting in the capacity of con¬ 
stable or bailiff. The audiencias appoint the judges. 
The municipal courts have jurisdiction in civil suits 
involving an amount not to exceed $200, and juris¬ 
diction over all misdemeanors such as the violation 
of municipal ordinances. They keep registers of 
births, deaths, marriages and property, and act as 
substitutes of the judges of the first instance in 

cases in which the latter cannot for anv reason act. 

* 

Several municipal districts form a judicial dis¬ 
trict, and the Military Governor appoints a judge 
who presides over its court of the first instance 
and instruction. This court consists of the judge, 
four notaries, four clerks, a doctor and two con¬ 
stables, and has civil jurisdiction in all cases where 


1 General Brooke’s “Report,” 264. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 259 

the amount involved exceeds $200, and appellate 
jurisdiction in cases appealed to it from the munici¬ 
pal court. It makes preliminary examinations in all 
criminal cases. Appeals from this court go to the 
audiencia. 1 

PAYMENT OF THE CUBAN ARMY. 

There were many millions of money due, at the 
close of the war, to the Cuban army, officers and 
privates, as salary and wages. Many of them were 
without any means of subsistence, and to disband the 
army without, in some way, providing its members 
with means to start in peaceful pursuits, would be 
to drive many of them to desperation and crime. 
It was finally determined that $3,000,000 should be 
paid to the members of the army. Robert P. Porter, 
as special commissioner, represented the United 
States in the negotiations and Gen. Maximo Gomez 
represented the Cuban army. 

It had been the intention to give to each officer 
and to each soldier $100 based on an estimate of 
30,000 men. The actual number of men as shown 
by the rolls was 39,966. It was finally determined 
to omit such officers and soldiers as had been em¬ 
ployed by the military government as rural police, 
clerks, etc.; 40,000 was taken as the divisor, and 


1 “Census of Cuba/’ Bulletin No. I, p. 9. 



260 Norton’s complete hand-book 

this gave each man $75. After deducting from the 
total number of enrolled men those employed as 
just stated, there were 33,930 men who were paid 
$75 each, making a total of $2,544,750 actually dis¬ 
bursed, and leaving a balance of $455,250 which was 
returned to the United States. The total expenses 
of the distribution were $35,518.96, and this amount 
was paid from the revenues of Cuba. The first pay¬ 
ment was made on May 27, 1899. The disburse¬ 
ment was made under the supervision of the Military 
Governor. 1 


DEPARTMENT OF POSTS. 

On December 21, 1898, Estes G. Rathbone was 
appointed Director-General of Posts for Cuba, and 
assumed the duties of his office, at Havana, January 
1, 1899. He at once proceeded to organize the 
postal service of the island, which had been left by 
the Spanish authorities at the time of the relinquish¬ 
ment of sovereignty over Cuba in a chaotic con¬ 
dition. 

The following bureaus, as part of the postal 
system were created: 

Bureau of Finance, 

“ “ Postal Accounts, 

“ Translation, 


1 General Brooke’s “Report,” 16, 129. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


26l 


Bureau of Appointments, 

Transportation, 

Special Agents. 

Money-Order Bureau, 

Registry “ 

Dead-Letter “ 

COLLECTION DISTRICT—CUSTOMS DUTIES. 

General Orders, No. 186, December 13, 1898, 
constituted the island of Cuba and all the islands 
of the West Indies west of 74 0 west longitude, evac¬ 
uated by Spain, into a collection district for the 
collection of customs duties. Havana was made, by 
this order, the chief port of entry. Matanzas, Car¬ 
denas, Cienfuegos, Sagua la Grande, Caibarien, 
Santiago, Manzanillo, Nuevitas, Guantanamo, Gi- 
bara and Baracoa were made sub-ports of entry, 
each with a collector. Later the ports of Trinidad, 
Santa Cruz del Sur, Tunas de Zaza and Batabano 
were also made sub-ports of entry. Several of these 
ports were afterwards discontinued. 

Col. Tasker H. Bliss was, on December 20, 

1898, by Special Order, No. 299, appointed Collector 
of Customs for Cuba, with his office at Havana. He 
began his duties as collector at noon, January 1, 

1899. It became necessary to reorganize the whole 


262 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


system of collecting duties, and Collector Bliss im¬ 
mediately set about the task. 

The total receipts from customs duties from all 
the ports during the six months ending June 30, 
1899, were $6,983,705.58. The total number of 
foreign vessels which entered at all ports during the 
same period was 2,226, with a total tonnage of 
2,806,816; and for the same period the total number 
of coastwise vessels entering all the ports was 
4,473, with a tonnage of 740,920. The number of 
vessels clearing for the same period was somewhat 
less. The total number of native employes in the 
customs service of Cuba on the first day of July, 
1899, was 545; of Americans, 50; total 595. 

AUDITOR. 

The office of Auditor of the island of Cuba was 
created by order issued March 14, 1899, and on 
March 18, 1899, Maj. E. F. Ladd was appointed 
Auditor. 

SCHOOL SYSTEM-ELEMENTARY AND SUPERIOR 

SCHOOLS. 

BOARD OF EDUCATION. 

An order, December 6, 1899, provided, in its es¬ 
sential features, as follows: 

For a Board of Education in each municipality of 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 263 

the island. The mayor is ex officio a member and 
president of the Board. In Havana the Board of 
Education consists of the mayor and eight other 
members; in the capital cities of the provinces and 
in the cities of Cardenas and Cienfuegos, of the 
mayor and six other members; and in each of the 
other municipalities of the island, of the mayor and 
four other members. The mayor appoints the other 
members of the Board, who hold office for two 
years. No salary is attached to the office. 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

In every city or town of more than 500 in¬ 
habitants, there is one public school for boys and an¬ 
other for girls, or if so determined by the Board of 
Education, one school for both sexes. If more than 
50 pupils are allowed in one room, an assistant 
teacher may be employed. These schools are des¬ 
ignated as “complete” schools. 

Any town or village of less than 500 population 
with not less than 15 boys of school age—6 to 14 
years, may organize an “incomplete” school, and 
the same provision applies to organization of a 
school for girls in such town. The minimum num¬ 
ber of pupils for a “complete” school shall be 35. 

All children between the ages of 6 and 14 years, 
inclusive, must attend school, public or private, for 


264 Norton’s complete hand-book 

at least 30 weeks in each school year. For failure 
to comply with this requirement, parents are liable 
to a fine of from $5 to $25. 

TEACHERS. 

Any person, male or female, possessing the requi¬ 
site scholarship and of proper character, may be 
employed as a teacher in the public schools. The 
salaries of teachers in the public schools, as fixed 
bv this order are: 

In Havana, $75 per month; in the capitals of the 
provinces and in Cardenas and Cienfuegos, $60, 
and in all other municipalities, $50. Assistants in 
“complete” schools receive $30 a month. 

Beginning with the year 1900, the schools open 
on the second Monday of September each year. 
The first term ends December 24; the second term 
begins on January 2, and ends on Friday next pre¬ 
ceding Holy Week, and the third term begins on the 
first Monday after Holy Week, and ends on the last 
Friday in June. 

There are 5 days of school in each week, each 
daily session not exceeding 5 hours. 

The course of study for elementary schools is: 
Reading, languages (Spanish and English), writ¬ 
ing, arithmetic, geography, history, hygiene, music, 
drawing, and nature studies. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 265 

The text books, pens, pencils, crayons, ink, etc., 
under this order, are furnished free. 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. 

A Superintendent of Schools of Cuba has charge 
of the organization and management of the elemen¬ 
tary, superior, and normal schools of the island, 
and is to report to the Secretary of Justice and 
Public Instruction. 

The Military Governor created the office of Super¬ 
intendent of Schools of Cuba, and November 2, 
1899, Alexis E. Frye was appointed to that office. 

ORDER FOR TAKING CENSUS IN ISLAND OF CUBA. 

On August 31, 1899, the Military Governor pub¬ 
lished an order, issued by the War Department, 
August 19, 1899, for the purpose of having a census 
of the “population, agricultural products, and of the 
educational conditions of Cuba” taken, the work 
to begin on October 16, 1899, and to be completed 
on or before November 30, 1899. Lieut.-Col. J. P. 
Sanger, Inspector-General, was made Director of 
the Census, with his office in Washington, D. C., 
and Mr. Victor H. Olmsted was made Assistant 
Director, with his office in the city of Santa Clara, 
Cuba. Six Cubans were appointed as supervisors 
of the census, one for each province. The expenses 


266 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


of taking the census are to be paid from the revenues 
of Cuba. 


ONLY CIVIL MARRIAGES VALID. 

On May 31, 1899, General Brooke issued an order 
declaring that thereafter civil marriages alone 
should be legally valid. The parties marrying were 
at liberty to have any religious ceremony they might 
wish celebrated in addition to the formalities re¬ 
quired to contract the civil marriage. 

General Wood has lately issued a decree modi¬ 
fying the former decree relating to marriage, mak¬ 
ing it optional with the contracting parties whether 
the marriage be civil, or religious, but declaring that 
marriage, so far as its validity is concerned, con¬ 
tinues to be a civil contract. Religious marriages, 
solemnized as provided in the modifying decree, are 
to have the same force and effect as civil marriages 
have. 1 


1 “Havana Post,” Sunday, Aug. 12, 1900. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


267 


GENERAL LEONARD WOOD, MILITARY 
GOVERNOR OF CUBA. 

On December 20, 1899, General Brooke relin¬ 
quished his command of the Division of Cuba, and 
transferred to Gen. Leonard Wood, his succes¬ 
sor, the duties of the office of Military Governor of 
Cuba. General Brooke sailed from Havana Decem¬ 
ber 23, 1899, on the steamer Mascotte, at 1130 p. m. 
When the steamer passed Cabana and Morro, seven¬ 
teen guns at Cabana were fired as a salute. 1 

Under General Brooke’s rule, the foundation of 
the island’s future prosperity was laid. A very 
difficult and delicate task had been imposed upon 
him, and he performed it with wisdom and a large 
measure of success. 

General Wood has continued the good work in¬ 
augurated by General Brooke with credit to himself 
and to the administration which appointed him. 
Lender his mild but firm rule, Cuba has steadily 
advanced in material prosperity and good govern¬ 
ment. 

On April 9, 1900, an order was issued abolishing 
the Military Department of the City of Havana, and 


1 “Havana Journal,” Friday, April 20. 1900. 



268 NORTON’S COMPLETE IIAND-BOOK 

consolidating it with the Military Department of 
the West—that of the provinces of Havana and 
Pinar del Rio. General Ludlow’s duties as Military 
Governor of the City of Havana were, by this order, 
to terminate, and its civic affairs were to be in the 
hands of local officials, under the supervision of in¬ 
sular authorities. General Ludlow issued his last 
order under date of May i, 1900. 1 

REGISTRATION OF SPANIARDS UNDER TREATY OF 

PARIS. 

Under Article IX of the Treaty of Paris, all 
Spanish subjects, natives of the Peninsula, residing 
in Cuba, or in other territory over which, by that 
treaty, Spain relinquished her sovereignty, were 
allowed to remain in such territory, and to carry 
on their commerce, industry and professions, “being 
subject in respect thereof to such laws as are applic¬ 
able to other foreigners.” 

“In case they remain in the territory they may pre¬ 
serve their allegiance to the crown of Spain by mak¬ 
ing, before a court of record within a year from the 
date of the exchange of ratifications of this treaty, 
a declaration of their decision to preserve such al¬ 
legiance ; in default of which declaration they shall 
be held to have renounced it and to have adopted the 


1 ‘‘Havana Post,” Saturday, May 5, 1900. 



OF HAVANA AND CUBA 269 

nationality of the territory in which they may re¬ 
side/’ 

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS—QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS. 

In June, 1900, elections took place for the purpose 
of choosing officers to administer the civil affairs of 
the municipalities of the island. The elections 
passed off quietly. The qualifications which voters 
were required to possess were as follows: 

1. The voter must be a male of Cuban birth; or 
son of a native born Cuban, born while his parents 
temporarily resided abroad. 

2. A Spaniard who had not registered his pur¬ 
pose of allegiance to the crown of Spain within the 
time required by the Treaty of Paris. And every 
voter must be able either, 

1. To read and write the Spanish language, or, 

2. Must possess personal or real estate of the 
value of $250, or, 

3. Must have served in the Cuban Army before 
July 18, 1898. 

Criminals, lunatics, and other classes of persons 
usually prevented from exercising the right to vote, 
were by this order excluded from the elective 
franchise. 1 

1 “Havana Journal,” Friday, April 20, 1900. 

18 






270 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


CONVENTION TO FRAME A CONSTITUTION FOR CUBA. 

The Secretary of War made public July 31, 1900, 
an order for holding an election to select delegates 
to a convention to be held for the purpose of 
framing a constitution for Cuba. The text of the 
convention order, as published in “The Havana 
Post,” Tuesday, August 7, 1900, is as follows: 

“The official order of the United States pro¬ 
viding for a convention to form a constitution for 
Cuba is an interesting and historical document. It 
reads as follows: 

“ ‘ Whereas, the Congress of the United States, by 
its joint resolution of April 20, 1898, declared: 

“ ‘That the people of the island of Cuba are, and 
of right ought to be, free and independent. 

“ ‘That the United States hereby disclaims any 
disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, 
jurisdiction or control over said island, except for 
the pacification thereof, and asserts its determina¬ 
tion, when that is accomplished, to leave the govern¬ 
ment and control of the island to its people.’ 

“And, whereas, the people of Cuba have estab¬ 
lished municipal governments, deriving their author¬ 
ity from the suffrages of the people given under 
just and equal laws, and are now ready in like man¬ 
ner to proceed to the establishment of a general 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


27I 


government, which shall assume and exercise sov¬ 
ereignty, jurisdiction and control over the island. 

“Therefore, it is ordered that a general election be 
held in the island of Cuba on the third Saturday of 
September, in the year 1900, to elect delegates to a 
convention to meet in the city of Havana at 12 
o’clock noon on the first Monday of November, in 
the year 1900, to frame and adopt a constitution for 
the people of Cuba, and as a part thereof to provide 
for and agree with the government of the United 
States upon the relations to exist between that gov¬ 
ernment and the government of Cuba, and to provide 
for the election by the people of officers under such 
constitution and the transfer of government to the 
officers so elected. 

“The election will be held in the several voting 
precincts of the island under and pursuant to the 
provisions of the election law of April 18, 1900, and 
the amendments thereof. 

“The people of the several provinces will elect 
delegates in number proportioned to their popula¬ 
tions as determined by the census, viz.: 

“The people of the province of Pinar del Rio will 
elect three delegates. 

“The people of the province of Havana will elect 
eight delegates. 


272 Norton’s complete hand-book 

“The people of the province of Matanzas will 
elect four delegates. 

“The people of the province of Santa Clara will 
elect seven delegates. 

“The people of the province of Puerto Principe 
will elect two delegates. 

“The people of the province of Santiago will 
elect seven delegates.” 

The following additional points relating to the 
elections were published in “The Havana Post,” 
Thursday, August 16, 1900: 

“Each province will also elect substitutes for its 
delegates.” 

The following are the qualifications which each 
voter must possess: 

“The voter must be a native male Cuban or the 
son of a native male Cuban, born while his parents 
were temporarily residing abroad, or a Spaniard in¬ 
cluded within the provisions of Article IX of the 
Treaty of Paris, who has not made declaration of 
his decision to preserve his allegiance to the crown 
of Spain, as provided in said article. 

“He must be of the age of twenty-one years or 
upward on the day preceding the election. 

“He must have resided in the municipality in 
which he intends to vote at least thirty days imme¬ 
diately preceding the first day of registration, and 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 273 

in addition to the above he must possess any one 
of the following qualifications : 

“Ability to read and write; ownership of real or 
personal property to the value of two hundred and 
fifty dollars, American gold; service in the Cuban 
army prior to July 18, 1898, and honorable discharge 
therefrom, whether a native Cuban or not.” 

BOARDS OF REGISTRATION. 

“Any person may be a candidate in any province 
who has the qualifications necessary to be an elector, 
even though he be not registered, no matter where 
he may reside or be domiciled at the time of the nom¬ 
ination or election, nor does the holding of public * 
office disqualify, but he must be able to read and 
write. 

“On or before the 14th day of August, 1900, the 
mayor of each municipality shall appoint for each 
barrio of his municipality, as a board of registration, 
three persons and their substitutes, who have the 
qualifications of electors within their municipal dis¬ 
tricts. 

“The mayor must appoint for each such board one 
member and his substitute proposed by each of the 
parties now locally organized; but if a sufficient 
number of members or substitutes for any barrio be 
not proposed by noon of August 14, 1900, the ayun- 


274 Norton’s complete hand-book 

tamiento shall at a meeting called specially for this 
purpose, fill the vacancies without regard to party 
affiliations of those selected. 

“A period of ten days beginning August 15, 1900, 
is hereby declared as a period for additional regis¬ 
tration for each municipality in the island of Cuba.” 

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES. 

“Any political party now organized within the 
province may nominate its candidates not in excess 
of the number to be elected from said province, as 
provided by Article 1 of this order, by filing a certi¬ 
ficate of such nominations with the civil governor of 
the province. Independent candidates may also be 
nominated by filing a certificate of such nomination 
with the civil governor of the province, said certi¬ 
ficate to be signed by at least two hundred registered 
voters of said province. Signatures to a certificate 
of nomination of an independent candidate must be 
followed by a statement of the residence of each 
signer. Qualified electors who are unable for any 
reason to write their names may specially request 
other electors to sign for them. Electors signing 
for others who cannot write must also sign their 
own names and state their residence. 

“All certificates of nomination must state the full 
name of the candidate or candidates nominated as 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


275 


members of the constitutional convention, and must 
also state the full name of the candidate nominated 
as alternate for each individual candidate for mem¬ 
ber of the convention. 

“The board of registration shall also act as the 
board of election, and the polls shall be held at the 
same place where the registration boards met. If, 
however, the registration lists show more than four 
hundred names there shall be appointed as many 
boards of election, consisting of three qualified elec¬ 
tors, as may be necessary to have one polling place 
for every four hundred registered electors, each ad¬ 
ditional board of election to be named in the same 
manner as provided for the appointment of members 
of the board of registry by paragraph 5 of this order. 

“The alcalde will see that the proper number of 
voting places be provided for and publicly an¬ 
nounced. 

“There shall be provided at each voting place sep¬ 
arate apartments, or if this is not practicable, desks 
or tables sufficiently screened from observation of 
bystanders, at which the voter may prepare his ballot 
with absolute secrecy. 

“Any voter otherwise qualified, who is unable for 
any reason to mark and prepare his ballot, may call 
upon any member of the board of election present to 
assist him in preparing his ticket. 


276 Norton’s complete hand-book 

“Any person offering to vote may be orally chal¬ 
lenged by any elector of the municipality at any time 
after he enters the polling place and before the ballot 
is actually deposited in the ballot box. 

“As soon as the polls are finally closed and the list 
certified the board must immediately proceed to 
count the votes given at such election, and the count¬ 
ing must be continued without adjournment until all 
the votes are counted and the result announced. Any 
political party organized or independent candidate 
may designate, in writing, to the board of election 
of any voting place, the name of any qualified elector 
who may represent such candidate at the polling 
place of the barrio, and who shall be entitled to be 
present during the continuance of the count. No 
other person shall be present during the counting of 
the votes. 

“No ballot or part of ballot must be rejected be¬ 
cause of any obscurity therein, if the board from an 
inspection of the ballot can determine with certainty 
the person voted for. 

“If the names of more persons are designated on 
any ballot found in the box than are permitted by 
the provisions of Article XXVI, then the entire 
ballot must be rejected, and such rejection must at 
the time thereof be noted on the ballot, and signed 
by a majority of the board. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


277 


“In case of a tie vote between two candidates, one 
of whom would be entitled to be declared elected, 
the board will withhold certificates of election and 
report the fact, so that the Constitutional Convention 
may decide which of the candidates shall be seated. 

MINORITY REPRESENTATION. 

“For the purpose of minority representation an 
elector in the province of Santiago shall only vote 
for four members and their substitutes; an elector 
in the province of Puerto Principe shall only vote 
for one member and his substitute; an elector in the 
province of Santa Clara shall only vote for four 
members and their substitutes; an elector in the 
province of Matanzas shall only vote for three mem¬ 
bers and their substitutes; an elector in the province 
of Havana shall only vote for five members and 
their substitutes and an elector in the province of 
Pinar del Rio shall only vote for two members and 
their substitutes. 

PROVINCIAL BOARD OF CANVASSERS. 

“On or before September 15, 1900, each of the 
political parties locally organized in each province 
shall send to the military governor of the province a 
list, not to exceed six names, of the persons whom 
they may desire to nominate as the members of the 


278 Norton’s complete hand-book 

provincial board of canvassers. The military gov¬ 
ernor shall select from such lists nine persons, giving 
equal representation to each party when possible, 
and these shall form the provincial boards of can¬ 
vassers. 

“The board shall meet on the 16th day of Sep¬ 
tember and shall be in session continually until the 
votes shall have been counted/’ 

I 

LIST OF DELEGATES TO FRAME CONSTITUTION FOR 

CUBA. 

Pursuant to the order issuing a call for the election 
of delegates to frame a constitution for Cuba, the 
people of the several provinces, on Saturday, Sep¬ 
tember 15, 1900, elected delegates for that purpose. 
The following list of delegates to the convention is 
taken from “The Havana Post,” Tuesday, Novem¬ 
ber 6, 1900: 

LIST OF CONSTITUTION FRAMERS. 

SANTIAGO DE CUBA. 

“Dudaldo Tamayo Pavon, Rafael Portuondo 
Tamayo, Antonio Bravo Correosa, Juan Gualberto 
Gomez, Jose Fernandez de Castro, Rafael Manduley, 
Joaquin Castillo Duany. 

“Alternates—Manuel Puentes Garcia, Augustin 
Cebreco Sanchez, Eduardo Yero Budden, Angel 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 279 

Clarnens, Francisco Chavez Milanes, Jose Ramon 
Torres, Jose Nicholas Ferrer. 

PUERTO PRINCIPE. 

“Manuel Ramon Silva y Rayas, Salvador Cisneros 
y Betancourt. 

“Alternates—Juan Ramon Xiques, Octavio Frei- 
rie. 

SANTA CLARA. 

“Jose Miguel Gomez, Enrique Villendas de la 
Torre, Jose Braulio Alerman Urquia, Jose do Jesus 
Monteagudo Consuegra, Pedro Gonzalez Llorente, 
Martin Morua Delgado, Jose Luis Robau Lores. 

MATANZAS. 

“Pedro E. Betancourt, Domingo Mendez Capote, 
Eliseo Giberga Fali, Louis Fortun. 

“Alternates—Juan A. Garmendia, Ernesto Castro 
Lajonchere, Ramon Pages Jimenis, Eduarda Dias 
Martinez. 


HABANA. 

“Jose Lacret Morlot, Alejandro Rodriguez, Em¬ 
ilio Nunez Rodriguez, Miguel Gener y Rincon, 
Manuel Sanguily, Diego Tamayo, Leopold Berriel, 
Alfredo Zayas Alfonso. 

“Alternates—Manuel Serafin Pichardo, Leonardo 


280 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Rodriguez, Francisco Leyte Vidal, J. Lorenzo Cas¬ 
tellanos, Carlos Font Sterling, Fernando Figuerdo, 
Federigo Mora, Gaston Mora Narona. 

PINAR DEL RIO. 

“Juan Rius Rivera, Joaquin M. Quilez, Gonzalo 
de Quesada. 

“Alternates—Antonio Gonzales Beltran, Jose R. 
Villalon, Manuel J. Manduley.” 

The seats of several delegates will be contested. 

THE FORAKER RESOLUTION OR AMENDMENT. 

The following amendment, introduced by Senator 
Foraker, of Ohio, was added to the military appro¬ 
priation bill, which Congress passed March 3, 1899: 

“No property, franchise or concessions shall be 
granted by the United States or by any military or 
other authority whatever in the Island of Cuba dur¬ 
ing the occupation thereof by the United States.” 

This resolution was passed with a view to pro¬ 
tecting the people of the island from the rapacity 
of contractors with all sorts of plans for improve¬ 
ments, or alleged improvements, and the granting of 
railway and other concessions, which, during the 
military occupation of the island, might otherwise 
be allowed, thereby fastening upon the people mil¬ 
lions of dollars of indebtedness, and fostering all 
sorts of extravagant and fraudulent schemes. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


28l 

Many concessions, it was claimed, had been grant¬ 
ed by the Spanish authorities, and were binding 
contracts between the authorities granting and the 
persons obtaining the concessions. Investigation 
often showed these concessions to be incomplete, 
and of such a character as to demand their rejection. 
The military governors were relieved by this amend¬ 
ment of great responsibility and embarrassment in 
regard to these claims. On the whole, this prohibi¬ 
tion has undoubtedly been beneficial to the people of 
Cuba, but at the same time it has prevented the 
prosecution of some public works and private enter¬ 
prises which would have been very much to the 
interest of certain cities and localities. 

DUAL GOVERNMENT OF ISLAND—CIVIL AND MILI¬ 
TARY. 

January 1, 1899, the Military Governor issued a 
proclamation declaring it to be the object of the 
United States government, among other things, to 
give protection to the people, to restore confidence 
and to afford full protection in the exercise of all 
civil and religious rights. To that end these objects, 
it was announced, would be carried out through the 
“civil administration, although under military con¬ 
trol,” in the interest of the Cuban people and others 
possessing property in the island. 


282 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


“The civil and criminal code which prevailed prior 
to the relinquishment of Spanish sovereignty will re¬ 
main in force, with such modifications and changes 
as may from time to time be found necessary in the 
interest of good government.” 

The commanding generals of military depart¬ 
ments exercise supervision, within their depart¬ 
ments, over all matters not specially excepted from 
their jurisdiction. They are to examine into and 
report upon the administration of civil offices within 
their departments, and are to make immediate re¬ 
ports of any case of maladministration or lack of 
proper qualification of any public officer for the 
performance of the duties of his position. 

The better to illustrate the general character of 
the simultaneous working of the civil and military 
governments, in reference to some of the more im¬ 
portant subjects of administration, Schedule No. 15, 
appended to the report of Dr. Domingo Mendez Ca¬ 
pote, Secretary of the Department of State and Gov¬ 
ernment, dated September 16, 1899, to Military Gov¬ 
ernor Brooke, and shown in the latter’s report, on 
pages 202-203, is here given : 

“No. 15—Synopsis of powers and attributions 
corresponding to the military governor, through this 
department; to the civil governors, to the mayors, 
and to the city councils. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


283 


"charitable institutions. 

"Military Governor.—Approval of the regula¬ 
tions, by-laws, budgets, accounts, classifications, cre¬ 
ation, suppression of all institutions. 

“To authorize same to litigate; to name and ap¬ 
point boards of patrons (directors), doctors, mana¬ 
gers, stewards, and counsel. 

“To divide and assign estates without heirs as per 
article 956 of the civil code. 

“Civil Governor.—Appoints and renews the mu¬ 
nicipal boards (not councils) ; approves the regula¬ 
tions and budgets of same not above $100. 

“Inspection of the institutions. 

“Mayor.—Preside[s] over the municipal board and 
represents] by special delegation the civil govern¬ 
ors. 

“City Council.—The sustenance of the municipal 
institutions under the inspection and surveillance of 
the civil governors. 

“sanitation of public health. 

“Military Governor.—Inspection of all kinds of 
service annexed to this branch. Appointment of 
directors of all watering stations, and of the doctors 
of ports. 

“Authorize^] the creation of cemeteries, and the 
approval of their regulations and tariffs. 


284 Norton’s complete hand-book 


“Civil Governor.—To watch for the public health ; 
appoint the municipal boards of health and the dele¬ 
gates and under-delegates, pharmaceutical, veteri¬ 
nary, and medical. 

“Mayor.—Preside[s] over the local boards of 
health. 

“City Council.—To hear and propose in every¬ 
thing connected with health of cities, towns, etc. 

“penal establishment. 

“Military Governor.—General supervision over all 
penal establishments; general distribution of prison¬ 
ers ; appointment of high employees. 

“Appointment of the jail boards. 

“Civil Governor.—He is the head of these estab¬ 
lishments and appoints all petty employees. 

“Mayor.—Presides over the local jail boards. 

“City Council.—Has the sustenance of the jails of 
their judicial districts. 

“police. 

“The authorities of the [this] section of govern¬ 
ment, from the military governor down to the 

mayors, are in special charge, in their respective ter- 

« 

ritories or districts, of the maintenance of order and 


oeace. 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


285 


"general affairs. 

"The military governor resolves in last resort of 
all claims and appeals against the resolutions of the 
civil governors. 

"The civil governor grants permissions to carry 
arms (weapons) for hunting or fishing; he presides 
over all theater boards; authorizes the creation of 
newspapers, and has to know of all the rules, regula¬ 
tions, and by-laws of all societies not mercantile. 

"city council. 

"Military Governor.—He decides over territorial 
divisions; elections; appointment of mayors and as¬ 
sistant mayors; deeds [deals] with the administra¬ 
tion. 

"Approves of municipal taxes and assessments. 

"Civil Governor.—Appoints councilmen and sec¬ 
retaries of city councils. 

"Imposes fines; suspends city councils and investi¬ 
gates. 

"Approves police regulations for rural and urban 
districts. 

"Authorizes the resolutions for the suppression 
or reform of any municipal institution of charity or 
school and all contracts with the municipality. 

"Revises municipal budgets. 

19 


286 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


“Mayor.—Presides over the corporation and rep¬ 
resents it. Is the executor of its resolutions and can 
suspend same whenever he thinks it does not lay 
[lie] with the city council to take it, by infringement 
of law, prejudice to general interest, or danger for 
order and peace. 

“He appoints the assistant mayors in the wards 
and decides over the inversion to be given to munic¬ 
ipal funds. 

“City Council.—Appoints its municipal board and 
decides over— 

“First—Opening of streets and roads. 

“Second—Paving, lighting, and sewerage. 

“Third—Water supply. 

“Fourth—Promenades and parks. 

“Fifth—Washing places, markets, and slaughter¬ 
houses. 

“Sixth—Schools and sanitation. 

“Seventh—Rural guard. 

“Eighth—Municipal regulations, urban and rural 
police. 

“Ninth—Appoints its employees. 

“Tenth—Makes its budget. 

“Eleventh—Census of neighbors. 

“Twelfth—Inscribes all rights of the municipal¬ 
ity. 

“Thirteenth—Municipal police.” 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


287 


POLITICAL PARTIES. 

There are three political parties in Cuba: 

1. The Cuban National Party. 

Among its most prominent leaders are: Gen. 
Maximo Gomez, Miguel Gener, Senor Messonier, 
Senor Tamayo and Gen. Alejandro Roderiguez, 
now mayor of Havana. 

Nearly all the members of the insurgent army 
and the great mass of the common people belong to 
this party. It has within its membership nearly all 
of the revolutionists. 

The fundamental principle of this party is “Cuba 
Libre/’ “Free Cuba.’’ It demands immediate and 
absolute independence, and declared, through Gen¬ 
eral Gomez, that only revolutionists should be dele¬ 
gates to the convention which is to frame a Consti¬ 
tution for Cuba. So far as numbers are concerned, 
it is the strongest party in Cuba. 

2. The Republican Party. 

Among its most distinguished leaders are: Jose 
Antonio Gonzalez Lanuza, Juan Gualberto Gomez 
and Estrada Mora. 

This party is largely made up of those who for¬ 
merly followed the leadership of General Gomez, but 
who are now his pronounced enemies. This party 
upholds the acts and principles of the late Assem- 


288 Norton’s complete hand-book 

bly. Its platform is similar to that of the National 
Party. It opposes the military element in the island. 
It is thought that many of the members of this party 
supported the candidates of the Union Democratic 
party in the election of delegates to the Constitu¬ 
tional Convention, and that its members will ulti¬ 
mately join the latter party. It may be considered 
as the “third party” in the politics of the island. 

3. The Union Democratic Party. 

The following are a few of its most distinguished 
leaders: Sehor Rafael Montoro, Signor Antonio 
Govin, Gen. Mayia Roderigues, Gen. Eusebio 
Hernandez, Gen. Garcia Velez, Fidel Pierra and 
Marcos Garcia. 

This is the conservative party of the island. Its 
followers are, as a whole, the wealthiest and best 
educated men in Cuba. Among its adherents are 
many of the most intelligent Cubans, probably all of 
the late Autonomist party, nine-tenths of all the 
Spaniards in the island, and some of the insurgent 
generals and other members of the insurgent army. 

It has generally been supposed that this party is 
fully committed to the idea of the annexation of the 
island to the United States, and that it is secretly, 
if not openly, working for the accomplishment of 
that object. This annexation sentiment seems to 
have prevailed up to within a few months, but there 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


289 


is hardly a doubt that this party would now prefer 
“Cuba Libre/’ if this result can be attained without 
revolution and anarchy. It also desires a republican 
form of government for the island, but not a republic 
of the disorderly, irresponsible kind, like some of 
the Central and South American republics, nor like 
that of Santo Domingo. 

The cardinal principles of this party are: Friendly 
relations with the United States, commercial and 
otherwise; such laws and institutions as shall give 
.all elements in Cuba proper representation in the 
government of the country; and such a degree of 
autonomy for the provinces and the municipalities 
as shall be consistent with a liberal, but strong, su¬ 
preme authority for the whole island. 

This party favors white immigration, and espe¬ 
cially encourages those men who come to Cuba with 
their families. 

Such are, briefly, the political parties of Cuba, as 
they exist in the city and province of Havana; but 
in the other provinces their principles, on some 
points, may not be quite so definitely determined, 
nor quite the same. 


290 


Norton’s complete hand-book 


CONCLUSION. 

Cuba, the beautiful and fertile, is about to take 
her place among the nations of the earth. For cen¬ 
turies an oppressed colony, afterward, for a short 
period, under the protection of a sympathetic neigh¬ 
bor, she will soon become a free and sovereign state. 
To attain this high destiny has been the noble ambi¬ 
tion of her patriots in every generation. The Amer¬ 
ican people saw her struggling with a heroism born 
only of sublime ideals, against a relentless foe—mili¬ 
tary despotism—and went to her rescue. Their 
sons joined her own in freedom’s battle and laid 
upon its altar many lives as a sacrifice for Cuba’s 
independence. 

The birth of a nation is an event which must turn 
the eyes of all civilized peoples toward the new state. 
The romantic, but sad, history of this isle, more 
favored by nature than, perhaps, any other territory 
on the face of the globe, has appealed to the imagina¬ 
tion of the poet, to the powers of the descriptive 
writer, to the pen of the historian, to the brain of the 
statesman, and to the heart of the world. 

On Monday, November 5, 1900, at twelve o’clock 
noon, there assembled in the city of Havana, Cuba, 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 2 gi 

thirty-one delegates elected by the voters of the 
island for the purpose of framing a Constitution 
for the new state. Among these delegates are some 
of the most distinguished men of Cuba. All are 
men of ability and education. Will they give to 
Cuba a Constitution framed with a view to securing 
the greatest liberty to the individual consistent with 
the public welfare? Will they place the Constitution 
upon the solid rock of liberty, equality and frater¬ 
nity ? Will they so combine the ideal and the prac¬ 
tical in the Constitution as to make this document a 
rule of lofty national conduct and at the same time 
an efficient working instrument in the affairs of 
state? Time alone can tell. 

Cuba’s enemies assert that her people are inca¬ 
pable of self-government. Her friends are solicitous 
on this point. Whether the Cuban people are ca¬ 
pable of forming and maintaining a strong, free gov¬ 
ernment, can neither be absolutely affirmed nor 
denied, until they have been given a fair trial. 

Perhaps no person is better qualified to express 
an opinion in relation to the character of the island¬ 
ers and their capacity for self-government than 
Gen. James H. Wilson, formerly Military Governor 
of the provinces of Matanzas and Santa Clara. 
In a report to General Brooke, then the Military 
Governor of Cuba, dated September 7, 1899, General 


292 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Wilson stated (General Brooke’s “Report," 330) that 
peace and tranquillity, at the time, prevailed “be¬ 
tween all classes, colors, and races, and there is no 
apparent reason to fear that this is not a stable con¬ 
dition of the people. 

“When it is remembered that the white race is 
largely in the majority; that both the white Span¬ 
iards and Cubans, as well as colored people, are 
sober, orderly, law-abiding, and generally indus¬ 
trious, it may be fairly hoped that with the re-estab- 
lishment of a reasonable degree of prosperity this 
gratifying state of affairs will continue to prevail.’’ 
In the same report, 332, he says: “As before stated, 
the natives are naturally a sober, orderly, and inof¬ 
fensive people, who willingly obey the constituted 
authority and rarely give violent cause for arrest.’’ 

Before leaving Cuba for his new command in 
China, General Wilson was interviewed by a repre¬ 
sentative of the Havana Post. As reported in the 
issue of that paper dated July 24, 1900, the General 
said: “ 'Cuba is a good country and I have no fear 
whatever for her future. Her people are competent 
for self-government, and I have no doubt that at 
some time in the near future they will apply to the 
United States for admission.’ ” 

As quoted by the Havana Post, of July 20, 1900, 
Gen. Leonard Wood, Military Governor of the 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


293 


island, said to a reporter for the Washington Star: 
“ ‘As to the Cubans, they are a more intelligent race 
than they are believed to be by the people of the 
United States. They are, in my opinion, competent 
to govern themselves, a fact which I am sure they 
will demonstrate when the constitutional convention 
has been held.' ” Perhaps no other American has 
had equal opportunities of judging the character 
and the capacities of the Cuban people for organiz¬ 
ing and maintaining a stable government. His opin¬ 
ion, for many reasons, is entitled to great weight. 

The Cuban people have established municipal gov¬ 
ernments throughout the island. These are conducted 
in an orderly manner. Cuba has passed through 
two elections of an important character. In both 
cases the behavior of her people has been commend¬ 
able. So far as they have had the opportunity, they 
have shown great self-control as well as intelligence 
in dealing with questions of government. 

It is generally understood that, after the consti¬ 
tution has been framed, it will be inspected by the 
President of the United States, and by Congress. 
The question at once arises, What, if any, control 
the United States government should exercise over 
the form or the contents of this instrument? This 
is a question concerning which there will be great 
differences of opinion. 


294 Norton’s complete hand-book 

The United States intervened in behalf of the op¬ 
pressed Cubans on the single ground of humanity. 
Other considerations may have entered, in some de¬ 
gree, into the question of interference, but there 
*• 

was, and justly could be, only one all-sufficient rea¬ 
son for thus coming between the mother country and 
her colony—humanity. On the same ground, the 
United States having been successful, and having 
taken the Cubans under protection, would seem to 
have the right to insist that no provision shall be 
contained in the constitution which savors of op¬ 
pression, or outrages the general sense of humanity. 

Suppose the constitution as finally framed defines 
treason against the new government, and declares 
that any person convicted of this crime shall be sen¬ 
tenced to die by the garrote; that every means shall 
be taken to prolong to the utmost limit, the victim’s 
life while undergoing the sentence, in order that 
thereby the greatest amount of suffering may be 
inflicted; suppose that a provision is found in the 
constitution to the effect that Spanish residents of 
the island, accused of crime, shall not have the right 
to be tried in the courts, but shall be dealt with in a 
summary manner; is there any one who will for a 
moment question the right of this government to 
demand the erasure from the instrument of such 
provisions? While improbable, it is not impossible, 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


295 


that such excrescences will make their appearance 
in the constitution. 

Perhaps the United States may have the right to 
insist that strong guarantees of the personal liberty 
of the citizen and of protection to life and to prop¬ 
erty shall affirmatively appear in the fundamental 
law of the land. If such right is claimed it should 
be placed upon the one sufficient ground—that of 
humanity. The United States has assumed cer¬ 
tain responsibilities toward the Cuban people, and 
must fully discharge these self-imposed duties. 
There should be no officious intermeddling, however, 
on the part of the government of the United States 
with the constitution framed by the delegates. 

Some have demanded an Anglo-Saxon constitu¬ 
tion for Cuba. What would a Latin race do with an 
Anglo-Saxon constitution? What would one of 
the Anglo-Saxon nations do with a Latin constitu¬ 
tion? The Anglo-Saxon peoples have no monopoly 
of virtue, patriotism and .governmental wisdom. 
Neither have the Latin peoples. Each can borrow, 
with advantage, from the other. Cuba will no 
doubt profit by the many admirable things to be 
found in the constitution of the United States, as 
she likewise will by those to be found in other con¬ 
stitutions. What she needs is an instrument framed 
in a manner suited to the genius of her people. 


296 Norton’s complete hand-book 

Should the delegates adopt the constitution of the 
United States verbatim, so far as it could by any 
possibility be applied to the circumstances in which 

the Cubans find themselves placed, these representa- 

•» 

tives would not present to Cuba a constitution such 
as her people need and could use to the best advan¬ 
tage. Differences in race, in language, in modes of 
thought, in political experiences and aspirations, and 
in environment, render it impossible for one people 
successfully to adopt, in large measure, the funda¬ 
mental instrument of government employed by an¬ 
other people. 

Certain language employed in the order fixing a 
date for the election of delegates to frame a constitu¬ 
tion, has been the subject of much unfavorable com¬ 
ment in the United States, and has aroused the in¬ 
dignation of many Cubans. The order for an 
election recites, that, “Whereas, the Congress of the 
United States, by its joint resolution of April 20, 
1898, declared: 

“That the people of the island of Cuba are, and of 
right ought to be, free and independent. 

“That the United States hereby disclaims any dis¬ 
position or intention to exercise sovereignty, juris¬ 
diction or control over said island, except for the 
pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 297 

when that is accomplished, to leave the government 
and the island to its people.” 

The order further recites the fact that the people 
of Cuba have established municipal governments, 
and are “now ready in like manner to proceed to the 
establishment of a general government, which shall 
assume and exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction and 
control over the island.” 

The order then declares that a general election 
shall be held on the third Saturday in September, 
1900, to elect delegates to a convention to meet in 
the city of Havana on the first Monday of Novem¬ 
ber, 1900, to 'frame a constitution, “and as a part 
thereof to provide for and agree with the govern¬ 
ment of the United States upon the relations to exist 
between that government and the government of 
Cuba.” It is the language last quoted that has given 
rise to so much adverse criticism. 

This language, at first glance, seems out of place. 
A constitution is the fundamental law of the land. 
It regulates the division of the sovereign powers of 
the state, and directs to what persons each class of 
powers is to be confided and the manner in which 
these powers are to be exercised. Its main function 
is to provide for the administration and the govern¬ 
ment of the state. It generally contemplates certain 
future relations with foreign countries, to be estab- 


298 Norton’s complete hand-book 

lished through the medium of treaties, and for that 
purpose declares with what department or depart¬ 
ments of the government the treaty-making power 
shall reside. 

Did the president in authorizing the order for the 
holding of an election of delegates to frame a con¬ 
stitution for Cuba, intend to convey by the use of 
the language in question, the idea that the govern¬ 
ment of the United States will insist upon the estab¬ 
lishment, by means of that instrument, of certain 
definite and permanent relations between the two 
governments ? It can hardly be supposed, after quot¬ 
ing the language of the joint resolution of Congress, 
and stating that the people of Cuba are now ready 
to form a general government “which shall exercise 
sovereignty, jurisdiction and control over the 
island,” that the declaration in the order concerning 
the establishment of relations between the two gov¬ 
ernments, such relations to be fixed by the terms 
of the constitution, was meant to convey the idea 
that the United States government would coerce, if 
necessary, the delegates into providing in the docu¬ 
ment for such relationship and the Cuban people into 
adopting the instrument in this form. 

Had all reference to the fixing of a relationship 
between the two governments been omitted in the 
order, the fact might have been interpreted by the 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


299 


delegates that, under no circumstances, would the 
government of the United States allow either the an¬ 
nexation of Cuba to this country or assume a pro¬ 
tectorate over her, however much her people might 
desire the accomplishment of either of these two 
objects. 

It is also to be noted that the delegates are to 
provide for and “agree with” the government of the 
United States upon the relations to exist between 
the two governments. There can be no agreement 
between two parties without the concurrence of 
both in the terms of the contract. If the delegates 
do not “provide for and agree with” the government 
of the United States as to the relations to exist be¬ 
tween Cuba and the United States, the matter will 
be settled, so far as making such provision a part of 
the constitution is concerned, and must be left for 
future adjustment by treaty or other proper method, 
if the two governments mutually desire such rela¬ 
tionship. 

Undoubtedly both nations will desire to negotiate 
a commercial treaty, perhaps in the form of a treaty 
of reciprocity, and will assume toward each other 
the most friendly relations. It is claimed by some 
that the United States must exercise a certain con¬ 
trol over Cuba, must keep a garrison of troops in 
the island, and must insist that she shall not make 


300 NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

treaties with other countries, unless with the con¬ 
sent of the United States, and must not be permitted 
to maintain an army and a navy. 

If such is the case, it is difficult to see wherein 
the people of Cuba are, and of right ought to be, 
free and independent, as Congress declared in its 
joint resolution; wherein the government of the 
United States, having accomplished the pacification 
of the island as it claims to have done, leaves the 
government and control of the island to its people, 
as Congress declared in its joint resolution should 
be done; and wherein the government of the United 
States allows the Cuban people to establish a central 
government “which shall assume and exercise sov¬ 
ereignty, jurisdiction and control over the island,” 
as set'forth in the order for the election of delegates 
to frame a constitution. 

It is said that the treaty with Spain has imposed 
upon the United States obligations which make it 
imperative that our government should retain con¬ 
trol of the island. Article 16 of the treaty is a suffi¬ 
cient answer to this assumption. It reads as fol¬ 
lows : “It is understood that any obligations 
assumed in this treaty by the United States with 
respect to Cuba are limited to the time of its occu¬ 
pancy thereof; but it will, upon the termination of 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 301 

such occupancy, advise any government established 
in the island to assume the same obligations.” 

Suggestions of permanent control of Cuba by the 
United States, generally speaking, emanate from 
persons who desire that Cuba shall become a part 
of the United States, and who would, if they had it 
in their power, annex the island at once and by force. 
The American people, as a whole, wish to see Cuba 
a free state. Some of their countrymen, however, 
both in Cuba and in the United States, would be 
only too glad to see the island wrested from its peo¬ 
ple. Such Americans are both selfish and cruel. 
Thus far their rapacity has been held in check. 

The sentiment among the residents of the island 
is, as a whole, undoubtedly in favor of Cuba’s com¬ 
plete independence. They wish to see her a sov¬ 
ereign nation. There are probably many exceptions 
in favor of either annexation to this country, or of a 
protectorate over the island by the government of 
the United States. Until within a few months the 
sentiment of the Spanish residents of the island was 
overwhelmingly in favor of annexation, but such 
is no longer the case. Several reasons may be as¬ 
signed for this change of feeling on the subject. 

The Cuban people have latterly shown a disposi¬ 
tion of friendliness toward the Spaniards. This is a 

result which might have been anticipated. The two 
20 


302 NORTON'S COMPLETE HAND-BOOK 

peoples are of one race, one blood, one speech, and 
one religion. The Cubans did not rebel against the 
Spaniards, but against Spanish military oppression 
and civil misrule. Here and there the spirit of 
hatred toward Spaniards, on the part of Cubans, 
may be manifested, but for the most part, the rela¬ 
tionship between the two classes has become so much 
closer, that the Spaniards no longer fear retaliation 
at the hands of a Cuban government. 

Both Cubans and Spaniards are tired of foreign 
rule, whether military or civil. The Cubans feel 
that the land is theirs, and that they should possess 
it, while the Spaniards, provided their lives and 
property are safe, would much rather live under 
Cuban than under American rule. They probably 
realize that for a time they cannot hope to share very 
largely in the honors and the emoluments of office 
under Cuban administration, but believe, no doubt, 
that gradually they will receive the recognition in 
political affairs to which their wealth and abilities 
entitle them. 

There is another consideration of weight in the 
mind of the Spaniard against annexation. Annexa¬ 
tion to the United States means free trade between 
the latter and Cuba. The Spaniards largely do the 
commercial business of the island. They are trad¬ 
ers, money-makers. They do not want annexation 


OF HAVANA AND CUBA 


303 


for the same reason that the tobacco-growers 
throughout the United States, the fruit-raisers of 
the Southern States and of California and the sugar- 
planters of Louisiana, do not want it, namely, com¬ 
petition as the result of free trade between the two 
countries. 

All of Cuba’s friends hope that a liberal constitu¬ 
tion will be framed; that the government organized 
in pursuance of its provisions will be capable and 
strong; and that the welfare of the country will al¬ 
ways be uppermost in the minds of those who are 
chosen to administer the nation’s affairs. Above all 
it is to be hoped, while cherishing the memory of 
their departed heroes, and appreciating the virtues 
and illustrious deeds of those still living, that the 
Cuban people will not allow a military system to 
become the predominating element in the adminis¬ 
tration of government. The history of the island 
since its discovery by Columbus is an awful warn¬ 
ing against military rule. 

To the people of Cuba must be left the task of 
demonstrating to the world their capacity for self- 
government. Her destiny is in large measure in 
their hands. The blood of her martyrs cries out 
against oppression. The deeds of her patriots have 
made liberty possible to her. She will be true to 
herself, will become and will remain CUBA LIBRE. 



INDEX 


Acana . 


Page 

Accent . 



mark ..._ 


. 199 

Aceitillo . 



Administration 

of 

Cuba, 

under Sph. 

rule. 

.236 

Agraceje . 


. 217 

Agracejo . 


. 217 

Agriculture .... 


....217-225 

beans . 


.223 

beets ., 


. 223 

cabbage .... 


. 223 

cattle . 


.221 

celery . 


.223 

chinaroot ... 


. 223 

coffee .. 


.220 

copal . 


.223 

corn . 


. 222 

cotton . 


. 223 

cucumbers .. 


.223 

ginger . 


. 223 

honey . 


. 223 

lettuce . 


. 223 

licorice . 


. 223 

mustard . 


. 223 

onions . 


. 223 

peanuts . 


. 223 

pepper . 


. 223 

potatoes - 


.222 

radishes . 


.223 

rice . 


.222 

sarsaparilla 


. 223 

sugar . 


. 217 

tapioca . 


. 223 

tobacco . 


. 219 

vanilla . 


. 223 

yuca . 


. 223 

Aguacate . 


. 226 


Page 

Aguero y Betancourt, Diego 


and Gaspar. 74 

execution of. 95 

Ahuacate . 226 

Alameda de Paula, La. 125 

Albear, Gen., Statue of. 82 

Plaza of. 82 

Albisu Theater .60, 70 

Alcala, San Diego de, 

Church of. 110 

Alcalde, meaning of.243 

Aldama, Miguel de. 145 

Aldermen . 242 

Alhambra, The. 68 

Almacenes, meaning of. 125 

Alligator pear. 226 

Almendares River . 36 

Park . 126 

Alvarez, Senor. 139 

Am. Bapt. Cem. Assn. 97 

Am. Exch., Havana. 163 

Ancha del Norte. 25 

Animals . 204 

cats, wild. 204 

cayman . 204 

crocodile . 204 

deer .204 

dog, wild. 204 

domestic . 204 

horses . 222 

jutia . 204 

manati . 204 

maja . 204 

pig . 204 

seacow . 204 

Animas, Las, Hill of.22, 35 

Anon . 226 

Antillano Club . 119 


305 












































































3°6 


INDEX. 


Page 

Appendix to Part 1. 180 

Aqueduct of Ferd. VII. 83 

Vento . 83 

Vento, cost of. 83 

Ariguanabo, River of. 128 

Lake of. 128 

Armas, Plaza de. 87 

Area of Cuba. 196 

Arms, Coat of C. of Hav... 154 
Army, Cuban, character of. 152 

payment of. 259 

Arroyo Naranjo. 26 

Arsenal, The.*.23, 56 

Artillery Barracks. 57 

Asiatic Cemetery. 98 

Asphaltum . 208 

Assembly of province. 238 

powers . 239 

Associate members. 243 

Asylums . 123 

for Aged Men. 123 

Casa de Beneficia.123 

Casa de Recojidas ..123 

Home for Aged Men and 

Women . 123 

Insane . 123 

Maternity . 123 

Orphan .123 

St. Vincent of Paul_123 

San Jose. 123 

Society for Relief of 

Children . 123 

Atares, Bay of. 28 

Castle of. 57 

construction of. 58 

Hill of.22, 28 

Attorney (fiscal). 242 

Auditor of Cuba. 262 

Audiencias .244, 258 

jurisdiction of.244, 

.253, 254, 256 

provincial court.253, 256 

de lo criminal.244, 253 

territorial . 244 

Mil. Gov. appt’s, judges 
of . 254 


Page 

Audiencias—Continued. 

judges, salary of, etc... 256 


of Havana.76, 255 

of Havana, organization. 256 

Automobile . 136 

Avisador Commercial. 144 

Avocado .226 

Ayti . 216 

Ayuntamiento, City Council 243 

Balboa, Marquise of. 154 

Banana . 225 

grove . 40 

Bango, Dr. 118 

Bankers .149, 150 

Balcells, J. 149 

Bances, J. A. 149 

Getals, N. 149 

G. Lawton Childs & Co.. 149 

Ruiz & Co. 150 

Sph. Bk. of Cuba. 150 

Upman & Co. 150 

Zaldo & Co. 149 

Banos, meaning of. 100 

Banyan tree. 217 

the great. 40 

Baptist Church. 112 

Bar Assn, of Havana. 150 

Barberla, meaning of. 162 

Barge office. 125 

Baria . 215 

Barracks, Municipal Police. 77 

Barrios, meaning of. 240 

Baseball grounds. 126 

Bates, Gen. John C. 246 

Bathing season. 101 

Baths . 100 

Campos Elfseos. 100 

Las Delicias.100 

La Revolucidn. 100 

San Rafael. 100 

cost of. 101 

dimensions of. 101 

Batteries . 54 

Baterfa De La Reina.25, 54 
Santa Clara. 55 
















































































INDEX. 


307 


Page 

Bay of Atares. 28 

of Carenas. 29 

of Guasabacoa. 28 

of Havana. 28 

of Regia. 28 

of Triscornla . 27 

Beans . 223 

Beets . 223 

Belascoaln, Calzada de. 24 

Belen Church. 110 

Royal College. 110 

Bellamar, caves of. 128 

caves of . 203 

Betancourt, Senor Rodolf... 88 

Birds, species of. 204 

Bishop, country residence of 126 
Blockading fleet, pilot of the 12 

Bliss, Col. Tasker H.261 

Blue Peak. 202 

Bombablier, Senor. 71 

Bomberos del Commercio... 151 

Municipals .151 

Boneyard, Colon Cem. 97 

Bookstores in Hav. 173 

Botanical Gardens.24, 90 

Brazilian wood. 217 

Bread fruit. 221 

Bread .166, 172 

Brewery . 150 

Brooke, Gen. John R., Mil. 

Gov. 247 

Brooklyn, The. 13 

Bryson, Mr. Geo. Eugene. 144 

Bull-ring . 131 

Cabana, La. 20 

burying ground at....48, 49 

cost of. 45 

“dead line” at.48, 49 

description of.46, 47 

dimensions of. 46 

dungeons of.48, 49 

dock . 48 

inscription to martyrs.. 48 

Laurel Ditch at. 49 

stone staircase at. 48 

Caballerla, measure.218 


Page 

Cabbage . 223 

Cable to Key West. 128 

Cabrera, Avelino. 79 

Cabs in Havana. 168 

Cafetal, meaning of. 220 

Caimitillo . 214 

Caimitos .41, 167 

Calixto, Lopez & Co. 146 

Calvario, Village of. 26 

Camp Columbia. 40 

Campo Marte.24, 89 

Campos Eliseos, baths. 100 

Cancer, Tropic of. 18 

Capeche wood. 217 

Cape Sable. 10 

Capital, foreign in Cuba_235 

Capote, Domingo Mendez, 

rept. of. 248 

Capote, Domingo Mendez, 

Secy, of State. 282 

Capt. General.236, 237 

summer res. of.24, 91 

Carcel, the. 70 

meaning of . 70 

visit to.71, 72 

Cardenas & Jticaro R. R. 

Co.229-232 

Carlos III, Paseo de. 89 

statue of . 90 

Carenas Bay. 29 

Carmelo, city of. 27 

Carnival, The. 133 

description of.136, 137 

Carpenter, Gen. Geo. H. 246 

Carranza’s fan store. 85 

Carridad del Cerro Club.. 119 

Carts . 169 

Casa Blanca, Village of. .20, 27 

territory of. 27 . 

Casacidn and revision, mean¬ 
ing of. 252 

Casa de Beneficia. 123 

Casanova, Senor. 143 

Caserio, meaning of. 27 

Casino Espanol. 216 

description of.135 















































































3°8 


INDEX. 


Page 

Castellanos, Capt.-Gen. Jim¬ 


enez . 247 

Castle of Atares. 57 

Principe . 22 

Catalan Club. 120 

Cathedral . 103 

description of.103-107 

erection of. 108 

full name of. 103 

Virgin of Loretto.105 

Cattle raising. 221 

statistics of.221-222 

Cats, wild. 204 

Cauto, River of. 203 

Caves of Bellamar. 128, 203 

Cotilla . 128 

Cubitas . 202 

Resolladero G*uacanaya.. 202 

Cayguaran . 214 

Cayman . 204 

Cedar . 212 

Ceiba tree.208, 216 

Celery . 223 

Celestino, martyr. Ill 

Cemetery . 93 

American Baptist. 97 

Asiatic . 98 

Chinese . 98 

Colon . 93 

Drive to Colon. 88 

of Espada. 94 

Census, 1899, citizenship, 

etc.199 

of Cuba, 1899.197, 198 

of Cuba, order for tak¬ 
ing . 265 

of Cuba, Havana.186-189 

school attendance.198 

summary for island. 197 

Centen, value of.66, 97, 102 

“Central,” meaning of.218 

Central Park.23, 81, 82 

Centro Asturiano. 113 

ball at. 115 

description of. 114, 115,117-119 
membership of.117 


Page 

Centro Asturiano—Continued, 
private hospital of..117, 118 


Centro Cocinero Club.119 

Artesanos Club. 119 

Dependientes . 119 

private hospital .119 

Cerro, Hill of. 22 

City, etc., of.27, 35 

Calzada del. 126 

Cervera’s fleet. 12 

Chadwick, Capt. 13 

Charcoal vender. 171 

Chicharron . 216 

Chico . 226 

Children, Society for Relief 

of . 123 

China root. 223 

Chinese Cemetery. 98 

Chino, Playa de. 27 

Chrome . 209 

Christina Market. 34 

Churches, Alcala, San Diego 

de .110 

. Baptist . 112 

Belen . 110 

Cathedral, the. 103 

Templete, El.87, 108 

Episcopal . 112 

Mercedes, Las.Ill, 134 

Mission, Ch. of Christ.. 112 

Methodist Chapel.112 

San Francisco. 113 

Paula . 125 

Protestant of Havana... Ill 

San Felipe. Ill 

Santa Catalina. Ill 

Santa Clara. Ill 

Santo Angel. 102 

Santo Domingo. Ill 

Cienaga, La.27, 36 

Cigar factories of Havana.. 145 

La Corona. 145 

La Escepcion. 147 

Calixto Lopez & Co.... 146 
Suarez, Murias & Co... 147 

statistics of.146, 147 
















































































INDEX. 


Page 

Cisneros, Evangelina. 114 

Citron . 227 

Clays . 208 

Climate . 204 

Clubs, Havana. 116 

Antillano, The. 119 

Carridad del Cerro. 119 

Casino Espanol. 116 

Catalan, The. 120 

Centro Asturiano.113 

description of.117-119 

Cocinero . 119 

Centro de Artesanos.119 

Dependientes . 119 

Divina Carridad. 119 

German, The. 119 

Havana Yacht.119 

San Carlos. 119 

Spanish Casino. 135 

Sociedad del Vedado.119 

Sport, The. 119 

Union, The. 116 

Crank, Asst. Engr. Merri- 

mac . 16 

Crescent City.179 

Crittenden, Col. W. S. 59 

Crocodile . 204 

Coal . 207 

Cock-fighting . 130 

Cocoanut . 225 

Coffee .220, 221 

Cojimar River.128 

village . 128 

Collazo, Gen. Enrique.143 

Colon Cem., boneyard. 97 

entrance to. 93 

drive to. 88 

Park .24, 89 

Market . 34 

Colonia, meaning of. 218 

Columbus, Christopher, 

death of. 105 

Inscription to .106, 107 

Memorial Chapel. 108 

Monument .107 


remains taken to Spain. 107 


309 

Page 

Columbus, Christopher — 


Continued. 

removal of remains to 

Havana .105, 106 

Commercio, El, newspaper.. 144 
Compania Translant. Espa- 

nola . 184 

Vapores, Herrera Line.. 184 
Compostella, Bishop of 

Diego Avelino de. 110 

Copper . 206 

Conant, Mr. Ernest Lee_ 143 

Concessionaire, meaning of. 82 

Concha Station. 35 

Conclusion .290-303 

Conde, meaning of. 153 

Consonants, sounds of. 192 

Consumption . 206 

Constancia plantation. 218 

Contencioso Administrative. 251 
Constitution, Canvassers, 

Prov. Bd. of. 277 

character of, for Cuba.. 295 

convention to frame.270 

delegates to frame. 291 

list of delegates to. 278 

supervision of by U. S. 

.294, 295 

Convent, Jesuit. 110 

Santo Domingo. 86 

Convention, candidates to, 

nomination of. 274 

delegates to. 271 

election of delegates to.. 271 

Elect. Bds. 275 

Mil.245 

minority represent.277 

criticism of language in 

order calling. 297 

reason for such language 297 

order calling for. 270 

Copal .223 

Coronado, Senor Manuel M.. 143 

Corn . 222 

Cotilla, Cave of. 128 

Cotton . 223 









































































3 10 


INDEX 


Page 

Council of Authorities, Com¬ 
position of. 237 

Administration . 236 

City, composition of.... 240 

City, powers of. 285 

City, number of council¬ 
ors . 240 

Courts of First Instance.243, 258 
and Second Instance. 97 
Municipal, jurisdiction 

of .243,258-9 

Provincial . 253 

Supreme .76, 244 

appeals to from Auds 253 

creation of. 250 

organization of_249-253 

Audiencias .244, 253-258 

crim. branch of. 253 

of Havana prov. 76 

juris, of. 256 

secs, of. 255 

jurisdiction of....253, 256 
Military Governor 

appts. judges of-254 

audiencias, salary of 

judges, etc. 256 

territorial . 253 

contencioso adminis¬ 
trative of.118 

Covadonga, La. 118 

Country Gentleman, home 

of . 158 

Courtship, Cuban. 159 

Cuba, area of in sq. miles.. 196 

area of in acres. 211 

acres uncultivated. 217 

census of. 265 

census of, 1899.197-8 

convention to frame con¬ 
stitution for.270 

control of by U. S. 301 

control of, Americans 

desirous of. 301 

division of. 247 

forests, no. acres of_211 

life in. 152 


Page 


Cuba—Continued. 

lowlands of. 203 

people of, classes. 201 

population of. 196 

prostration of, after war 195 

railroads of. 228 

table of railroads of..229-234 

recuperation of. 195 

representation of in 

Spanish Cortes. 244 

its resources, etc. 195 

rivers of. 204 

southern coast. 203 

acres of timber lands be¬ 
longing to state. 211 

prosperity of. 202 

Immigrant, The. 68 

Theater . 68 

Cuban Cent. Ry. Co—230, 232 
Financier and Havana 

Advertiser . 144 

National Party. 287 

Elec. Co., St. Ry.125, 127, 182 
Cubano, El, newspaper.... 144 
Cubans, cruelty of toward 

animals . 170 

feelings of toward Amer¬ 
icans . 179 

hospitality of. 155 

Cubitas, caves of. 202 

seat of Cuban revolu¬ 
tionary government... 202 

Cucumber . 223 

Cuen . 215 

Cuia . 214 

Custard apple. 226 

Custom house. 113 

Customs . 261 

Customs, Col. Tasker H. 

Bliss, collector of. 261 

statistics . 262 

Davis, Gen. Geo. W. 246 

Dead-cart . 57 

Decker, Karl. 114 

Deer . 204 

De Gobierno. 256 






























































INDEX. 


Page 


Delegates to Convention.... 272 
number of for each prov¬ 
ince . 272 

qualification of voters 

for . 272 

Delicias, Las. 126 

baths . 108 

De lo criminal, meaning of 

.244, 253 

Departments, civil. 245 

of Agriculture. 248 

Finance . 248 

Justice, etc. 248 

Posts . 260 

State . 248 

Military . 248 

of Center. 249 

of East. 249 

of City of Havana 

abolished . 267 

of West . 248 

Deputies, House of, at Ma¬ 
drid . 244 

House of, Cubans in.... 244 
Desvernine, Senor Pablo, 

Secy., etc. 248 

Divina Carridad, club of... 119 
Diario de La Marina, news¬ 
paper . 142 

Diarrhoea . 206 

Diaz, Dr. 112 

Discusion, La newspaper... 143 

Diseases ..'. 206 

consumption . 206 

diarrhoea . 206 

dysentery . 206 

intermittent fever. 206 

leprosy . 206 

lock-jaw .206 

malarial fever. 206 

yellow fever.206 

District, collection. 261 

election . 77 

electoral .240-241 

judicial of Havana. 77 

organization of. 261 


3*i 


Page 

Dock, Herrera. 125 

Dogs, wild. 204 

Drinks, Cuban. 173 

Drinking habits of Cubans.. 173 
Drives about Havana, etc.. 88 

to Colon Cemetery. 88 

along shore of Gulf. .100-103 

Drug stores in Havana.172 

Dry season. 204 

Dulces, Conde de Pozos.... 126 

Duties, customs. 261 

Dysentery . 206 

Earthquakes . 206 

Ebony . 213 

Economical Society. 148 

Education, Board of. 262 

City of Havana. 263 

Election, Municipal . 269 

Voters, Qualification of. 269 
Emilio Terry, Concessionary 233 

Ensenada, meaning of. 28 

Episcopal Chapel. 112 

Ermita Monserrate, hill of. 35 

Escepcion, La. 147 

Espada, Cemetery of. 94 

Estrella, Cove of. 13 

Executioner, Official. 79 

Exports . 224 

Express Companies. 150 

Adams Ex. Co. 150 

Pan-American Ex. Co... 150 

Southern Ex. Co. 150 

Wells-Fargo Ex. Co. 150 

Extramuros . 23 

Fan Store, Carranza’s. 85 

Fare, Coach Tariff. 25 

Farm, Truck. 171 

Feluccas, description of. 43 

Fencing . 159 


Ferdinand VII, Statue of.. 87 
Fernandina, Countess of.. 153 
Ferrocarriles, meaning of.. 180 
Ferrocarril Urbana de la 


Habana, lines of. 181 

Ferryboats of United Rail¬ 
ways of Havana. 125 






































































312 


INDEX 


Page 


Fesser Station. 125 

Fevers . 205 

Intermittent . 205 

Malarial . 205 

Yellow . 205 

Figaro, El. 143 

Fire Department of Havana 151 

branches of. 155 

Firemen’s Monument. 95 

Fiscal, meaning of.250, 256 

Fish, flying . 178 

Fish, varieties of.204 

Fisher, Dr. Chas. E. 143 

Florida East Coast Steam¬ 
ship Co.*.10, 183 

Florida Hotel, The. 140 

Keys . 9 

Fondas, meaning of. 172 

Foraker Resolution or 
Amendment . 280 

Foraker Amendment, Min¬ 
ing Concessions .212 

Fortifications of Havana.... 53 

Arsenal . 56 

Artillery Barracks . 57 

Atares, Castle of. 57 

Baterfa de la Reina. 54 

Battery of 12 Apostles. 45 
Castillo de la Fuerza.... 53 
Cabana, La, dimensions 

of . 46 

burying ground...48, 49 

cost of. 45 

description of.46, 47 

dock of. 48 

dead line at. 48 

La Pastora . 44 

Mouth of Chorrera River 55 

Prfncipi Camp. 56 

Prfncipi Castle. 56 

Old sea walls. 53 

Redans 1 and 2. 51 

Redans 3A, 3B-4. 55 

San Diego . 51 

San Nazario. 56 


Page 

Fortifications of Havana — 


Continued. 

San Salvador de la 

Punta . 54 

Santa Clara battery. 55 

Velazo battery. 50 

Francia, La, Hotel. 140 

Frost . 205 

Fruits .224-229 

Alligator Pear. 226 

Andn . 226 

Aguacate . 226 

Banana . 225 

Bread Fruit. 227 

Caimito . 167 

Citron . 227 

Cocoanut . 225 

Custard Apple. 226 

Grapes . 225 

Guanabana .227 

Guava . 227 

Guayaba . 227 

Lemons .228 

Limes . 228 

Mamey .167, 226 

Mango .167, 226 

Melons . 225 

Oranges . 227 

Peaches . 228 

Pears . 228 

Pineapples . 225 

Plums . 228 

Rose Apple.226 

Star Apple. 226 

Strawberries . 225 

Tamarind . 227 

Zapotilla . 226 

Frye, Alexis E., Superinten¬ 
dent of Schools. 265 

Fosos Municipales. 81 

Fuel . 171 

Fuente, Manuel. 43 

Fuerza, Castillo de la. 53 

Funerals, Cuban. 96 

Fustic . 217 

Gamoneda . 76 















































































INDEX. 


3 J 3 


Page 


Garcia, Gen’l, Tomb of. 94 

Gardens, Botanical.24, 90 

Los Molinos. 24 

Garrote, The. 69 

description of. 72 

march to the. 74 

method of execution.... 73 
former place of execu¬ 
tion . 76 

at Omaha Exposition.... 78 

Gas Works. 150 

Gener, Senor Jose. 147 

Gentleman, A Cuban. 158 

German Club. 119 

Gibara to Holguin, R. R. 

Co.231 

Ginebrahacha . 214 

Ginger . 223 

Goddesses, The five. 90 

Goicuria, Gen. Domingo, 

Execution of. 75 

Gold . 207 

Gomez, Gen. Maximo_90, 259 

Senor Juan Gualberto.. 143 

Gonzalez, Castanon. 94 

Government, dual.281, 282 

dual, synopsis of pow¬ 
ers, civil and military 

.283-287 

Governor’s Palace. 86 

Governor-General, powers of 

.236, 237 

of Provinces . 237 

powers and duties 

of .238, 239, 243 

Govin, Senors. 142 

Grapes .225 

Granadillo . 215 

Guanaba Ice-Cream . 166 

Guanabacoa . 127 

Population of. 127 

Calzada of. 26 

Guasabacoa, Bay of. 28 

Guanabana . 227 

Guantanamo R. R. Co. 231 

Guayaba . 227 


Page 

Guava .227 

Guige . 223 

Gulf of Mexico. 22 

Gulf Shore, drive along..100, 103 

Stream . 9 

transparency of. 10 

width of. 10 

velocity of current.. 10 

• Guyol, Mr. E. W. 143 

Guyacan . 214 

Habana Bay R. R. Co.180 

Habana Province, minerals 

of .206-9 

Hacendados, almacenes . 125 

Hacks in Havana, number 

of . 168 

Hagiiey . 216 

Harbor of Santiago. 13 

of Havana.18, 28 

Hats, Panama, price of.... 172 

Havana, Bay of. 28 

boundaries of. 22 

census of.186-189 

Conservatory of Music of 149 

departure from. 177 

distances, table of.185 

drug stores of. 172 

Econom. Society of. 148 

Elect, districts of. 77 

fire department of. 151 

founding of. 109 

general plan of. 22 

hills about. 203 

judicial district cf. 77 

public library of. 148 

life in. 154 

legal limits of. 25 

magazines of. 125 

first mass in. 108 

newspapers of. 142 

police station of. 77 

population of in 1519, 

1592 . 102 

province of. 203 

lakes .203 

rainfall in. 133 












































































314 


INDEX. 


Page 

Havana—Continued. 

River cf.88, 126 

public schools of. 149 

private schools of.149 

Technical School of 

Arts, etc. 149 

School of Painting, etc.. 148 

society in. 152 

temperature . 133 

mean av. 205 

University of.86, 148 

first view of. 18 

old walls of.23, 114 

wards of. 77 

water supply. 83 

cost of water supply.... 83 

Commercial Co. 146 

Electric Ry. Co. 182 

Post, The. 143 

Yacht Club,. 119 

Health certificates. 138 

Health, public .283 

Henry Clay & Bock & Co., 

(Ltd.) . 146 

Herrera docks. 125 

lines . 184 

Quinta de Leonor. 117 

Hills of Havana. 22 

of Atares . 28 

of Cerro. 22 

of Ermita Monserrate.35, 120 

of Jesuits. 35 

of Jestis del Monte. 28 

of Las Animas.22, 35 

of Managua Paps. 128 

of Mazo, or Key Hill... 27 

of Principe.22, 28 

of San Diego.28, 51 

Hobson, Lieut.:... 13 

first attempt to enter 

harbor . 14 

Home for Aged Men and 

Women . 123 

Honey . 223 

Horses . 222 

Hospitals and Asylums. 121 


Page 

Hospitals and Asylums—Con¬ 


tinued. 

of Covadonga. 118 

Quint, de Leonor Her¬ 
rera . 117 

Integridad . 92 

Lepers’ .100, 121 

Militar . 122 

Military .57, 122 

Purissima Concepcion... 119 

Reina Mercedes. 121 

of San Lazaro. 121 

Hotels of Havana. 138 

dining room of Pasaje.. 165 
food and cooking in.... 167 

life in. 162 

rates per day. 140 

typical room of. 163 

Francia, La. 140 

Florida . 140 

Inglaterra . 139 

Isla de Cuba. 140 

Louvre . 140 

Mascotte . 140 

Pasaje . 138 

Perla de Cuba. 140 

Roma . 140 

Telegrafo . 139 

Thrower . 140 

Trotcha . 79 

U. S. 140 

Washington . 140 

Tampa Bay. 179 

Humidity, atmospheric.205 

Hurricanes .206 

Hurtado, Senor Benj., in¬ 
terpreter .78, 139 

Husillo, village of. 83 

Ice Plants. 150 

Immaculate Conception, 

statue of. 104 

Imports .223, 224 

Independence, Proclamation 

of .130 

Day, Cuban. 130 











































































INDEX. 


315 


Page 


Indiana, Battleship . 12 

Indian Park. 88 

Indian Statue, description 

of . 88 

India, Parque de la. 24 

Infanta, Calzade de la. 24 

Ingenio, meaning of. 218 

Inglaterra, The. 139 

Insane Asylum. 123 

Institutions Charitable, Gov¬ 
ernment of. 283 

Integridad, La... 92 

Intermittent Fever. 205 

Intervention of United 

States . 294 

of United States, ground 

of . 294 

Intramuros . 23 

Interpreters . 19 

Investments . 234 

Isabella LaCatolica, Parque 

de la.23, 88 

Isabella II, Statue of. 81 

Isla de Cuba, La, Hotel... 140 

Iron . 207 

Jesuit Convent. 110 

Jesuits, Hill of the. 35 

Jesus Del Monte, Hill. 28 

Jesus Del Monte, City of.. 27 

Jigui . 214 

Journal, New York. 114 

Judicial Districts, number 

of . 240 

system of.243 

Jticaro . 217 

Jutia . 204 

Keiffer, Maj.-Gen. J. War¬ 
ren . 247 

Key West, Health inspection 

at . 178 

Kilometer .229, 233 

La Corona Cigar Factory.. 145 
Ladd, Maj. E. F., auditor.. 262 

Lady, The Cuban. 155 

Habits of.156, 157 

Lakes, Ariguanabo. 128 


Page 

Lanuza, Jose Antonio, Sec’y 


Department of Justice. 248 

La Pastora Battery. 44 

La Prueba R. R. Co. 230 

Lara Theater. 68 

Lead . 207 

Lee, Gen. Fitzhugh.246, 247 

Headquarters . 38 

Mil. Gov. Dept, of West. 249 

Lemons . 228 

Lepers’ Hospital.100, 121 

Leprosy . 206 

facts about. 122 

Lettuce . 223 

Library, Public. 148 

Licorice . 223 

Lighthouse, O’Donnell. 50 

Lignum Vitae. 213 

Life in Havana and Cuba.. 152 

Lime . 209 

Limes . 228 

Lockjaw . 206 

Lodestone . 209 

Lomas, meaning of.22, 27 

Loma de Atares. 28 

de Mazo. 27 

Lopez, Narciso . 44 

garroted . 74 

Loretta, legend of. 105 

Chapel of Virgin of.... 105 

Louvre, The. 140 

Lucha, La. 142 

Lucido, Martyr. Ill 

Ludlow, Maj.-Gen. Wm.247, 268 
Mil. Gov. Dept, of Ha¬ 
vana City. 249 

Luyand, Calzada de. 26 

Luz, Plaza de. 125 

Pier . 125 

Maboa . 216 

MacDonnell, Rev. Geo. N.. 112 

Machina, meaning of. 52 

MacPherson, Rev. Lowell C. 112 

Macurije . 216 

Magazines, Placendados. 125 

Magazines, San Jose. 125 










































































3i6 


INDEX. 


Page 

Magnetite . 209 

Maine, Wreck of.19, 20, 177 

victims, burial of. 93 

Mahogany . 212 

Majagua . 214 

Maja, the.204 

Malarial Fever. 205 

Mamey .41, 167, 226 

Mamposteria, meaning of... 55 

Mass, First. 108 

Managua Paps. 128 

Manati, the.204 

Manganese .. 208 

Mango .41, 167, 217, 226 

Maranon . 214 

Marble . 208 

Marianao . 35 

Banyan Tree. 40 

Beauty of. 39 

Bridge and Embankment 37 

La Playa de.37, 127 

R. R. Co.181, 231 

Market, The. 30 

description of. 32 

Colon . 34 

Christina . 34 

Plaza Vapor. 34 

del Plaza Vieja. 34 

Tacon . 34 

Marriages, only civil valid. 266 

Marti Theatre. 68 

Martin Perez River. 26 

Mascotte Hotel. 140 

Maso, Bartolome. 130 

Matanzas, Bay of.203 

City . 128, 203 

Province, minerals of 

.206, 209 

Pan de. 203 

Population of. 128 

Province of. 203 

R. R. Co.230, 232 

Maternity Asylum. 123 

Mayors . 241 

Deputy .240, 241 

Duties of. 242 


Page 

Mayors—Continued. 


Powers of. 242 

Of wards. 242 

Mazoera, meaning of.123 

McCullagh, John. 150 

McKibben, Gen. C., Military 

Governor . 245 

Meals. Cuban. 165 

Mechener, Capt. Frank W... 58 

Melons . 225 

Melon Zapote. 226 

Men, Aged, Asylum for_123 

Mercados, meaning of. 32 

Mercedes, Las, Church.Ill 

description of.134, 135 

Merrimac, plan of sinking.. 13 

sinking of. 16 

J Methodist Chapel . 112 

Miami .9, 10 

Militar Hospital . 122 

Paseo . 24 

Military Governor, powers 

of . 243 

Government, organiza¬ 
tion of. 247 

Occupation of Cuba, be¬ 
ginning of.195, 246 

Condition of Island 

beginning of.246 

by United States.... 245 

Military Hospital . 122 

Milliken, Jos.164 

Milkman . 170 

Minerals . 206 

Asphaltum . 208 

Bituminous Oil . 208 

Chrome . 209 

Clays . 208 

Coal . 207 

Copper . 206 

Gold . 207 

Iron . 207 

Lead . 207 

Lodestone . 209 

Lime . 209 

Magnetite . 209 
















































































INDEX 


3 1 / 

Page 


Page 


Minerals—Continued. 

Manganese . 208 

Marble . 208 

Nickel . 208 

Ochre . 209 

Petroleum . 208 

Quicksilver . 208 

Rock crystal.209 

Salt .. 208 

Sand, moulding .209 

Silver . 207 

Slate . 209 

Sulphur . 208 

Talc . 209 

Mines, Foraker Amend¬ 
ment . 212 

Mining Law of Cuba....209, 211 

Permits . 211 

Surface Imposts . 211 

Minerals, classification of 

under Spanish law-209, 210 

Mineral wealth of Cuba.... 209 

Mir, Narciso Valdez. 50 

Mission Church of Christ.. 112 

Money, Spanish, value of... 31 

Monkey’s dinner bell. 217 

Monserrate, Hill of. 120 

Monte, Calzade del.24, 126 

Montoro, Senor . 142 

Monument, Cabana wall- 44 

Columbus . 107 

Firemen’s . 95 

Neptune . 102 

Students’ . 94 

Morgan Line S. S. Co. 183 

Morgue, The . 102 

Morro Castle .20, 43, 49 

Called 3 Kings. 50 

Captured by English.... 50 

Construction of . 50 

First view of. 18 

Light House at. 50 

Redans 1 and 2. 51 

Secret Passage .45, 51 

Sharks’ nest. 49 

Signal Service station.. 50 
21 


Morro Castle—Continued. 

Velazo Battery . 50 

Mortera, Count of. 153 

Moulton, Col. Geo. M. 150 

Mountains .202, 203 

Blue Peak . 202 

Pan de Matanzas. 203 

Pico del Potrillo.202 

San Juan Group. 202 

Sierra de Bejucal.203 

Sierra Guanabacoa . 203 

Sierra Maestre .202 

Sierra San Francisco de 

Janvier . 203 

Sierra de San Martin... 203 

Sierra Sibarimar . 203 

'uelle Machina, meaning of 125 

Mules . 222 

Mule Team . 41 

Municipal Board . 240 

Composition of .243 

Council . 240 

Secy, of . 242 

Court . 243, 258 

Jurisdiction of. 259 

District, definition of... 239 

Barrios . 240 

Deputy Mayors .241 

Electoral district.... 241 

Number of. 239 

Sub districts. 240 

Number of. 241 

Wards . 240 

Junta . 243 

Munson, Pilot Chas. B. 10 

Munson and the Merrimac. 15 

Line . 183 

Music, Conservatory of. 149 

Mustard . 223 

Nacion, La . 143 

Narango . 217 

Necrocomio, meaning of.... 102 
Negroes, social status of.... 114 

Neptune, Monument to.102 

Newspapers of Havana..142, 144 
Advisador Commercial.. 141 








































































3*8 


INDEX. 


Page 

Newspapers of Havana — 


Continued. 

El Commercio .,. 144 

Cuba Immigrant, The.. 144 
Cuban Financier and 

Havana Adv.144 

Cubana, El. 144 

Diario de la Marina. 142 

Discusion La. 143 

Figaro, El. 143 

Havana Post . 143 

Lucha, La. 142 

Nacion, La . 143 

Nuevo Pais, El. 142 

Number of. 142 

Patria, La. 144 

Union Espafiola . 144 

New York, The. 13 

Nogal . 214 

North American Trust Co.. 149 

Notion vender.171 

Nickel . 208 

Nuevitas to Pto. Principi R. 

R. Co. 229 

Nuevo Pais, El. 142 

Oak . 214 

Obispo St.23, 81 

description of . 84 

Ocampo, Sebastian . 109 

Ochre . 209 

Ocuje . 215 

O’Donnell Light House. 50 

O’Farril, Calle . 114 

Officios St. 125 

Oil, bituminous.208 

Omnibuses . 168 

Onions . 223 

Opera, The Havana.155 

Oranges . 227 

Orden Publico.151 

O’Reilly St. 23 

Marquise of. 154 

Orosco Mateo. 94 

Orphan Asylum. 123 

Oxen, Method of Yoking.... 170 
Ox Team. 41 


Page 

Palace, Governor’s. 86 

Palatino Calzada De.126 

Quinta de. 126 

Palm . 213 

use of. 213 

Royal . 40 

Variety of. 213 

Cabbage . 213 

Cocoanut . 213 

Guano de Cana. 213 

Guano . 213 

Royal . 213 

Sago . 213 

Yarey . 213 

Parks, Alameda de Paula.. 123 

Albear . 82 

Almendares . 126 

Botanical Gardens. 90 

Campo de Marte. 89 

Campo Marte. 24 

Central .23, 81 

Colon .24, 89 

Cortina de Valdes. 12^ 

Plaza De Armas. 87 

Indian ..24, 88 

Isabel la Catolica... .23, 88 

Plaza de Luz.125 

San Juan de Dios. 125 

Trillo . 126 

Pasaje Hotel . 138 

meaning of . 162 

origin of name. 138 

Paseo, meaning o" . 24 

De Carlos III. 89 

De Paula . 125 

De Tacon. 89 

Passage, Secret at Morro.. 45 

Passports . 19 

Patria, La . 144 

Paula Church . 125 

Payret Theater . 67 

Peaches . 228 

Peanuts . 223 

Pears . 228 

People, Character of.173, 174 

Cuban, The.173, 174 




















































































INDEX. 


319 


Page 

People—Continued. 

capacity for self-gov¬ 


ernment .291, 293 

of Cuba, classes of.201 

Cuban, opinions as to 
capacity for self-gov¬ 
ernment .291, 293 

recuperative powers of. 195 

self-control of . 293 

sober, etc.292 

Peninsular & Occidental 

S. S. Co. 183 

Pepper . 223 

Perla de Cuba, La, Hotel.. 140 

Pertenencia, meaning of_211 

Peseta, value of. 25 

Petroleum . 208 

Pichardo, Senor Manuel.... 143 

Pico del Potrillo, El.202 

Pigs, wild. 204 

Pinar del Rio, caves of.... 203 

City of . 129 

Province of . 203 

Minerals of.206, 209 

Pineapple . 225 

Grove . 40 

Pino de Tea. 214 

Plant System . 187 

Playa, meaning of. 100 

Playa de Marianao. 37 

Plaza Vapor Market. 34 

Vieja Market . 34 

Ploclamacion, Marques.154 

Plow, Cuban . 171 

Plums . 228 

Poceta, meaning of. 101 

Policeman, Cuban . 60 

Police, Government of.284 

Force of Havana. 150 

Organization of. 150 

Station . 77 

Political Parties . 287 

Cuban National . 287 

Democratic, The Union.. 288 
Republican, The. 287 


Page 

Population of Cuba. 196 

Havana, 1519, 1592 . 109 

Number capable of sus¬ 
taining .224, 235 

Port Tampa, custom duties 

at .178 

Porter, Robert P., Special 

Commissioner . 259 

Posts, Department of. 260 

Potatoes . 222 

Poultry seller .;.. 171 

Powell, Cadet . :. 15 

Prado, The . 23 

description of . 136 

length of . 24 

Presido, The . 70 

meaning of . 70 

Primera Instancia, courts of 258 

meaning of . 258 

Prince Edward, The. 9 

Principe, Alfonso Calzada 

del . 24 

Camp . 56 

Castle .22, 56 

secret passage . 56 

Hill . 28 

Prison for abandoned 

women . 113 

Casa de Recojidas. 113 

interpreter . 70 

the Royal . 70 

Procuradores S i n d i c o s, 

meaning of. 242 

Protestant Church .Ill 

Protocol . 245 

Provincial Deputation abol¬ 
ished . 239 

Powers of .238, 239 

Puentes Grandes . 27 

Bridge . 36 

Puerte Principi, Province of 202 

Minerals of .206, 209 

Punta, erection of. 54 

Punta, La. 18 

San Salvador, de la. 54 

Purissima Concepcion.119 









































































320 


INDEX 


Page 

Quantcras, meaning of. 100 

Queen’s Battery . 25 

Quemados . 41 

Quicksilver . 208 

Quinta del Obispo 6 Penal- 

ver . 126 

Quinta Molinos .24, 90 

de Palatino. 

Radishes . 223 

Railroads .180, 228-234 

of Cuba . 228 

table of .229-234 

total number of miles.. 234 

summary . 233 

cars . 34 

Habana Bay R. R. Co.. 180 
Cardenas & Jucaro R. R. 

Co.229, 232 

Cuba Central Ry. Co.230, 232 
Emilio Terry, conces¬ 
sionary . 233 

Gibora to Holguin R. 

R. Co. 231 

Guantanamo .231 

La Prueba R. R. Co. 230 

Marianao R. R. Co_181-231 

Matanzas R. R. Co..230, 232 
Nuevitas to Pto. Prin¬ 
cipe R. R. Co. 229 

Santiago de Cuba. 231 

Tunas a Sanctus Spir- 

itus R. R. Co. 231 

Urbana de la Habana... 231 
United Rys. of Habana 

.229, 232 

Western Ry. of Habana 


.181, 232 

Railroad depots. 

Concha Station. 35 

Fesser Station .125 

Railway, Cuban Electric.... 127 

Rainfall in Cuba. 205 

Havana . 133 

Rainy Season .204 

days in a month. 205 


Page 

Rathbone, Estes G., Director 


of Posts . 260 

Recojidas, Casa de.113, 123 

Recourses, meaning of. 252 

Redans, 1 and 2. 51 

3A, 3B and 4. 55 

Red Telefonica . 150 

Regia, Bay of. 28 

City of .20, 27 

population of . 127 

sugar storehouses at.... 127 

Reina, Bateria de la.25, 54 

Calle de la. 24 

Calzada de la. 89 

Mercedes Hospital . 121 

Republican Party . 287 

Residences in Havana. 160 

Resources of Cuba. 195 

Restaurants of Havana..141, 172 

Restos, meaning of. 177 

Revolucion, La, bath. 100 

Resolladeros Guacanaya 

cave . 202 

Ricardo, Sr. del Monte. 

Rice . 222 

Rivero, Sr. San Nicolas... 142 

River Almendares. 36 

Ariguanabo . 128 

Cauto .203 

of Havana .28, 126 

San Antonio .128 

Rivers of Cuba. 204 

River Martin Perez. 26 

Rock crystal .209 

Roma Hotel . 140 

Romero brothers, execution 

of . 76 

Roseapple . 226 

Rosewood . 217 

Ruiz, Valentine . 78 

Sabaretti, Bishop of Havana 109 

Sabicu .215 

Sabina . 215 

Salt .208 

Sampson, Admiral.13, 12 


San Antonio de los Bafios.. 128 



































































INDEX 


Page 

San Antonio River. 128 

Sand box tree. 217 

Sand, moulding. 209 

San Carlos Club. 119 

Seminario de. 103 

San Diego, Fort. 51 

Hill .28, 51 

San Francisco, Monastery of 113 

Felipe Church . Ill 

Sanguilly, Gen. 143 

San Jose Almacenes. 125 

Asilo de . 123 

Juan group .202 

de Dios Park. 125 

Lazaro Beach . 135 

Calzada de . 25 

Hospital . 121 

Tower . 55 

San Miguel, Senor Antonio. 142 

San Nazario . 56 

Rafael Baths . 100 

Santa Catalina Church. Ill 

Clara Battery . 55 

Santa Clara Church. Ill 

Province of . 202 

lakes of . 202 

minerals .206, 209 

Santa Rita mineral baths.. 127 

Santiago Harbor . 13 

de Cuba, Province of... 202 

minerals of .206-209 

R. R. Co. 231 

Santo Angel Church. 102 

Domingo Convent . 86 

Church . Ill 

Sarsaparilla . 223 

Schley, Commodore . 13 

School System . 262 

Board of Education. 262 

Complete . 263 

Course of study. 264 

Elementary .262, 264 

Incomplete .263 

Military . 57 

Painting . 148 

Public . 149 


321 

rage 


School System—Continued. 

organization of .263 

statistics . 149 

Private . 149 

Sculpture . 148 

Superior . 262 

Superintendent . 265 

Sea-cow . 204 

Seasons, two . 204 

Sea wall, old . 53 

Self-government capacity of 

Cubans for.291, 293 

Opinions as to.291, 293 

Senorita . 155 

Seminario de San Carlos.... 103 

Shatter, Gen. Wm. 245 

Sharks in Harbor. 43 

Sidewalks, width of. 25 

Sierra de Bejucal. 203 

San Martin . 203 

Guanabacoa . 203 

Maestre . 202 

San Francisco de Jan¬ 
vier . 203 

Sibarimar . 203 

Silver . 207 

Slate . 209 

Small, “Sam,” interview 

with . 69 

Snakes . 204 

Soil, color of. 40 

Society in Capital. 152 

Sociedad del Vedado Club.. 119 
Society, Relief of Children.. 123 

Sombrero Key . 9 

Light House . 9 

South Coast Line. 183 

Spain, Relinquishment of 

Sovereignty . 247 

Spaniards against annexa¬ 
tion . 301 

reasons for .302 

feelings toward Amer¬ 
icans . 176 

Registration of under 
Treaty of Paris.268 














































































322 


INDEX. 


Page 


Spanish-American Co. 150 

Spanish, pronunciation of.. 

.190-195 

Consonants . 192 

Vowels . 191 

Syllables . 191 

Laurel . 217 

Sport Club, The. 119 

Springs, Vento .83 

Star Apple . 226 

Statistics, Cigar Factories.. 


Station, Fesser R. R. 125 

Statues. 

Albear, Gen-82 

Carlos III. 90 

Ferdinand VII...... 87 

Five Goddesses . 90 

Indian . 80 

Immaculate Concepcion. 104 
Steamship Co. 

Compania Vapores. 184 

Transatlantic Espan- 

ola . 184 

Florida East Coast_10, 183 

Herrera Line . 184 

Morgan Line .183 

Munson Line . 183 

Peninsular & Occidental 183 

Plant System . 183 

South Coast Line. 183 

Southern Pacific .183 

Ward . 182 

Storm, Tropical . 132 

Story of Pilot Munson. 12 

Strawberries . 225 

Streets, width of. 25 

Scenes . 170 

Ancha Del Norte, Cal- 

zada . 25 

Belascoain, Calzade de.. 24 
Carlos III. Paseo de. .24, 89 

Cerro, Calzada del. 126 

Guanabacoa, Calzada de 26 
Infanta, Calzade de la.. 24 
Luyano, Calzada de. 26 


Page 

Streets—Continued. 

Militar, Paseo . 24 

Monte, Calzada del...24, 126 

Obispo .23, 81, 84 

O’Farril, Calle . 114 

Officios . 125 

O’Reilly . 23 

Palatina, Calzada de_126 

Paula, Paseo de. 125 

Prado, The .23, 136 

Prfncipi Alfonso. 24 

Reina, Calzada de. 89 

Calle de la. 24 

San Lazaro, Calzada de 25 

Tacon, Paseo de.24, 89 

Teniente, Rey . 23 

Cars . 168 

Railways of Havana.... 1S1 
Cuban Elec. Ry Co. 

.125, 182 

Ferrocarril Urbana 

de la Habana. 181 

Havana Electric .... 182 
Miles in Havana.... 182 

Students, Execution of. 94 

Monument . 94 

St. Vincent of Paul Asylum 123 

Suarez Murias & Co. 147 

Sugar .217 

Beet .218 

Imports to U. S. 219 

Value of 1898-99. 219 

Yield of 1898-99. 219 

Sulphur . 208 

Surnames, Cuban .160 

Syllables, formation of. 191 

Syndicate, the English.145 

Tacon market . 34 

Paseo de .24, 89 

Theater . 65 

cost of . 65 

dimensions of . 65 

property of . 66 

seating capacity of.. 66 

Talc . 209 

Tamarind . 227 






































































INDEX. 


323 

Page 


Page 

Tandas, meaning of. 63 

Tapioca . 223 

Tarpon, The . 19 

Taylor, Capt. H. C. 12 

Teachers . 264 

wages of . 264 

Team, mule, ox. 169 

Teatro, meaning of. 61 

Technical School of Arts, 

etc.149 

Telegrafo Hotel .139 

Telephone system .150 

Temperature in Havana.... 133 

mean annual . 205 

Templete, El '..87, 108 

erection of . 109 

Teniente Rey, street. 23 

Territory surrendered to 

Gen. Shafter . 245 

Texas, The . 16 

Theater, Albisu .60, 67 

Alhambra . 68 

Cuba . 68 

Lara . 68 

Marti . 68 

Payret . 67 

Tacon . 65 

one-act . 64 

Thrower, Hotel . 140 

Tide, height of. 101 

Timber .211-318 

acana . 213 

agraceje . 217 

agracejo . 217 

aceitillo . 215 

ayti . 216 

banyan tree . 217 

baria . 215 

brazilian wood . 217 

capeche wood . 217 

caimitillo . 214 

cayguaran . 214 

cedar . 212 

ceiba . 216 

chicharron . 216 

cuen . 215 


Timber—Continued. 

cuia . 214 

ebony . 213 

fustic . 217 

granadillo . 215 

ginebrachacha . 214 

guyacan . 214 

hagiiey . 216 

jigui . 214 

jucano . 217 

lignum vitae . 213 

maboa . 216 

macurije .216 

mahogany . 212 

majagua . 214 

mango . 217 

maranon . 214 

narango . 217 

nogal . 214 

oak . 214 

ocuje . 215 

palms . 213 

pino de tea. 214 

rosewood . 217 

sabicu . 215 

sabina . 215 

sandbox tree . 217 

Spanish laurel . 217 

trumpet tree . 217 

walnut . 215 

wild orange . 217 

vera . 216 

yaya . 215 

lands, largest areas of.. 217 

Topography . 202 

Torre, Col. Antonio. 109 

Torreon, El . 100 

Vigia, La. 55 

Tower, San Lazaro. 55 

Tobacco . 219 

farms . 220 

field . 40 

planting . 219 

Toral, Gen. Jose. 245 

Trade Wind . 205 

Treaty of Paris. 245 

























































































324 ' 


INDEX. 


Page 


Tree, c6iba . 108 

Tribunal, supremo . 244 

Trillo Park . 126 

Triscornia . 27 

Troteha Hotel . 99 

Trumpet tree . 217 

Twelve Apostles, battery of 45 

Tulipan .27, 35, 135 

Tunis a Sancti Spiritus R. 

R. Co.231 

Union Club, The. 116 

Democratic Party, The.. 288 
Espanola . 144 


United Ry. of Havana. 

.180, 229, 232 

United States, future rela¬ 
tions between and Cuba 

.296, 299 

Obligations under Paris 


Treaty . 300 

Hotel, The . 140 

University of Havana... .86, 148 

Faculties of .148 

Urbana de la Habana. 231 

Valdes Park, Cortina de. .. 126 

Van Horn, Sir Wm.234, 235 

Vanilla .223 

Varona, Senor. 142 

Vedado, El . 99 

City of . 27 

Vegetable butter.226 

Vehicles . 168 

Veja, meaning of. 220 

Velazo Battery . 50 

Velasquez, Don Diego de... 109 

Vento Springs . 83 

Vera . 216 

Verdugo, meaning of. 78 

Vigfa, La. 55 

Villalba, Marques de. 147 

Villate Y Aguas Claras. 26 

Vivac, The. 77 

Volante . 171 


Page 


Vomito . 206 

Voters, Qualifications of_ 

.241, 269, 272 

Vowels, sound of. 191 

Vuelta Abajo.129, 219 

Wade, Gen. 247 

Wagon . 169 

Walls of Havana, old. 23 

Old City . 114 

Walnut . 214 

Wards of Havana. 77 

Ward Steamship Co. 182 

Washington Hotel, The. 140 

Water pedlar. 171 

Weyler, Gen. 79 

Western Ry., The. 181 

Co. of Habana. 232 

Wharf, Paula . 125 

Wild orange . 217 

Wilson, Gen. James II..246, 249 
opinion or cattle raising. 221 

Cuban people.242, 291 

Wood, Gen. Leonard. 249 

interview with. 69 

Military Governor .267 

Santiago . 246 

Opinion of Cuban 

People . 292 

Yanez, Adolfo Saenz, Sec’y 
Department of Agriculture 248 

Yaya . 215 

Yellow Fever .205 

Cubans immune to.172 

Yuca . 223 

Yumurf, Valley of. 128 

Zanja, The . 83 

or Aqueduct . 35 

Zapote .41, 167, 225 

Chico . 225 

Zapotilla .226 

Zarzuela, meaning of. 63 

La . 60 








































































■ 



MORRO 

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BLPf* c 


iMuuntiffifimme 


%33S3SMCia 

MBBoOTsm 

gMaa«qQo^ 


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WRECK OF 


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PRINCIPE, 

CASTLE 


Loma de las 
Animas 5 


[taoeRO 


Puente de 
Villarin 


Asiatic 

Cemetery 


Baptist 

Cemetery 


1— Governor’s Palace 

2— Quarter-master's Building 

3— Plaza de Armas, Statue of Ferd. VII 

4— Templete. Memorial Chapel 

5— Post Office 

6— Captain of Port’s Building 

7— Cavalleria Wharf 

8— Engineers’ Building 

9— Cathedral 

10— Page & Connant, Lawyers Office 

11— St. Domingo Church 

12— Maestranza Building 

13— Civil Governor’s Building 

1 4 — U. S. Medical Marine Inspector 

15— S. Juan De Dios Park 

16— American Trust & Bank Co 

17— Produce Exchange 

18— Custom House 

19— Machina Wnarf or Landing 

20— Government Secretaries’ Building 

21— Plaza Vieja Market 

22— Spanish S. S. Co., Office 


t }5 | Old Walls of the City 

66— Albisu Theater 

67— Centro Asturiano Club A- 

68— Gomez Bazar Block 

69— Alvear's Statue l 

70— Carranza’s Fan & Curio sftfe 

71— Union Club —^ 

72— Diario de la Marina (Newspaper) 

73— U. S. Treasury Building 

74 — Colon Market 

75— Belots Baths 

76— Spanish Casino (Club) 

77— Court of Appeals—Jail-Pris>n 

78— Sq. where executions took phce 

79 — U. S. Signal Corps 

80— Punta Castle 

81— Punta Park 

82— U. S. Electrozone Plant 

83— Church of Los Angeles 

84— St. Catalina Church 

85— Cristo Park 

86— Campos Eliseos Sea Bath 

87— San Rafael Sea Bath 

88— Guadalupe Church 

89— Dragones Barracks 

90— Reina Battery 

91— Beneficenoia (Maternity Hospital) 

92— Alms- house 

93— Martel lo Tower 

94— S. Liizaro Hospital for Lepers 

95— Ancient Espada Cemetery 

96— Sta Clara Battery 

97— Gov. General's Summer Residence. 
Botanical Gardens 

98— Almendares B. B. Grounds 

99— Mariano R. R. Station 

100 — Old Bull Ring 

101— Ermita Monserrat 

102— Pozos Dulces Summer Residence 

103— Covadonga Private Hospital 

104— Quinta de Palatinos 

105— Vento Reservoir 

106— Vento Canal 

107— SeSor Carranza’s Chalet at Vedado 

108— Trocha Hotel (Vedado) 

109— Arana Hotel (Vedado) 

110— Carranza's Park (Vedado) M 
HI -H E R. R. Station (VedadflfHL 

112— Gin Factory 

113— Chorrera Castle 

114— Cement Factory 

115— Elc. Power House of the H.E.R.R. Co 

116— Powder Magazine 

117— Morro Castle 

118— Cabanas 

119— Velazo Battery 

120 — No. 2 Battery 

121— Punta Brava Battery 

122— No. 4 Battery 

123— Cemetery (Colon) 

124— The Havana Post 

125— Florida Hotel 


CONCHA 


10 arm 

nmna 

iq/n^TQPWjcip^ 




’La Cieaaga 


O' 


EXPLANATION 


Railroads 

Ferries 

Electric Road single trach 
Electric Road double trach 


LUYANO 


30— Mascotte Hotel 

31— Paula Park 

32— Paula Hospital 

33— S. JosA Stores & Docks 

34— Las Mercedes Church 

35— St. Clara Church 

36— Menendez S. S. Co., Office 

37— Jesuits Convent 

38— San Isidro Church 

39— Las Arrecogidas (Women’s Prison) 

40— Police Headquarters 

41— American Asylum for Children 

42— Ursuline Church & Convent 

43— Arsenal or Navy Yard 

44— Calixto Lopez & Co. Cigar Factory 

45— Suares Murrias Cigar Factory 

46— La Excepcion Cigar Factory 

47— Gas & Electric light plant 

48— Western R. R. Station 

49— Slaughter House 
50 —Tacon Market 

51— Campo de Marte Park or Colon Park 

52— La Corona Cigar Factory 

53— India Statue & Park 

54— United R. R. Station 

55— Centro Qallego Spanish Club 

56— Marti Theater 

57— American Baptist Church 

58— Pasaje Hotel 

59— Payret Theater 

80— Central Park 

81— Tacon Theater 
52—Inglaterra Hotel 
33—Telegrafo Hotel 


The Rand-McNally 


MAP OF THE 


CITY OF HAVAN/ 


SHOWING 


SUBURBS, PARKS, FORTS, and PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS 


rand, McNally & co. 
MAP PUBLISHERS 

CHICAGO 


Copyright, 1901 , by Rand, McNally & Co., Chicago. 


( 























































































































































































































































































